The Tulsa Golden Hurricane football coaching staff gained a familiar face over the summer as Denver Johnson came home to serve as the director of player personnel and development, and director of alumni relations.

A University of Tulsa alumnus, Johnson was an offensive lineman for the Golden Hurricane from 1976-80, earning all-Missouri Valley Conference honors his senior season. Johnson returned to his alma mater for a stint on Coach Bill Blankenship's staff from 2011-14. He served as the offensive line coach, adding offensive coordinator duties in 2014. In his time at TU, he had six offensive linemen earn all-conference honors. Johnson was named the 2012 recipient of the Merv Johnson Integrity in College Coaching Award, an award given to honor a collegiate coach in Oklahoma who displays integrity in the profession.

"It's great to welcome Denver back to Tulsa, where he had a great career as a player and has coached before," said Tulsa Head Football Coach Kevin Wilson. "He has a great acumen as a coach, having been a head coach at many schools and having a strong career as an assistant. I'm excited to bring his knowledge of football and his understanding of The University of Tulsa, the city and the great success of this program."

Johnson brings nearly 40 years of coaching experience into his new role with the Hurricane. He has spent 16 years as a head coach with stops at Murray State (1997-99), Illinois State (2000-08) and Missouri Southern (2015-18). The past four seasons, Johnson has served as offensive line coach at Lindenwood. Over the course of his career, Johnson has also coached offensive lines at Colorado Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and UT Martin.

Aside from his coaching acumen, Johnson is a much-beloved figure, a trait that suits him well as the director of alumni relations. Already, his impact is felt with former players and coaches making frequent appearances at practices.

"One of the great qualities Denver brings aside from experience coaching and in football is his ties to Tulsa," Wilson said. "He's well-known as a former player and coach with our alumni, our former football players and the community. In this role, he'll work with the players and help them get connected on campus and get internship and job opportunities after their playing careers end. He'll also connect with our alumni and former players and get them back on campus and involved with the university, with athletics and, most importantly, with our football program."

Johnson graduated from The University of Tulsa in 1981 with a degree in business management. Following his playing career at TU, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's selected Johnson in the eighth round of the 1981 NFL draft. He played two years in the NFL and two in the USFL before committing to the coaching profession.