Former Charleston Southern linebacker Zack Johnson returned to his alma mater in February 2022 to lead the special teams charge after spending the prior three seasons at Savannah State. The 2025 season will mark his fourth year on staff with the Buccaneers.
During the 2023 season, Johnson was a crucial key in the development of Malik Barnes into one of the most feared linebackers in the nation as well as the Big South/Ohio Valley Football Association as he was named First-Team All-Conference at the end of the season.
He started with the Tigers as their Safeties Coach/Special Team Coordinator for the 2019 and 2020 seasons before moving onto the Linebackers Coach position while maintaining his role as Special Teams Coordinator for the 2021 campaign. The Tigers posted a 16-6 record during his three seasons on the sidelines, which included a six-game win streak in the middle of the 2021 season and four-game win streak to end 2019. Savannah State earned regional Top 10 rankings in 2021. Savannah State was ranked as high as third nationally in blocked punts, while Nyem Bozeman led the country in punt return touchdowns. He was a member of the defensive staff that helped guide the Tigers to three national Top-10 rankings, including first downs defense (sixth), total defense (seventh) and passing yards allowed (10th).
Johnson, a Boiling Springs, South Carolina, native broke into the coaching ranks in 2016 as a senior intern with the defensive backs at Coastal Carolina, while completing his master’s degree. After one season in that role, he remained on staff with the Chanticleers as their graduate assistant working with the defensive backs for the 2017 and 2018 campaigns. His time there included a transition from the FCS Big South to the FBS Sun Belt.
Johnson joined the Charleston Southern program in 2012, starting all 11 games in his first season and finishing second on the squad with 55 tackles, including 32 solo stops. He debuted at The Citadel with seven tackles, one for loss and a forced fumble. His career-high 10 tackles came in a mid-October home win over VMI, a month after having eight stops and a tackle for loss at Illinois. As a sophomore in 2013, he collected 15 tackles in 12 games, including four in a triumph at Campbell. His junior season of 2014 saw him end the year as one of eight Bucs to start all 12 games, registering 48 tackles, including seven for loss. He had two sacks, including 0.5 at Vanderbilt, while contributing a season-high eight stops against Presbyterian. He capped his career in 2015 with 48 tackles, including eight for loss with multiple in contests at Troy and at Presbyterian. His lone sack was against the Trojans, while he also forced fumbles at The Citadel and in a rematch later in the year at home with the crosstown rival.
Johnson earned his bachelor's degree from Charleston Southern in business administration and management in December 2014 and completed his MBA from the institution a year later, in December 2015. He added a master’s degree in instructional technology from Coastal Carolina in December 2018. He and his wife, Gracin, have three children - Beckett, Banks and Hudsyn.
Coaching Experience
2022-Present: Charleston Southern University (Linebackers) - Previously Special Teams Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator, Sams/Nickels
2019-2021: Savannah State University (Special Teams Coordinator - Linebackers, Previously - Safeties)
2017-2019: Coastal Carolina University (Defensive Graduate Assistant - Defensive Backs)
2016-2017: Coastal Carolina University (Senior Defensive Intern - Defensive Backs)
