Tech assistant Spencer dismisses link to Army coaching job

Georgia Tech co-offensive line coach Todd Spencer said Monday there’s nothing to reports saying he’s a candidate to be Army’s coach.

“I’ve had no contact with Army and I think, just because of the success coach [Paul] Johnson had at Navy, at Georgia Tech, he’s such a great, great football coach that somebody’s name is inevitably going to come into a scenario,” Spencer said after the Jackets’ first practice in pads for the upcoming bowl game against LSU.

“I certainly would consider [becoming a head coach] someday, but right now our whole focus is on recruiting. We’ve got a great recruiting class, we’re playing the defending national champions. My focus is elsewhere right now than on being a head coach.”

Army fired Stan Brock last Friday after his teams went 6-18 in two years, including a 34-0 drubbing by Navy 10 days ago. Army has not had a winning season since 1996.

Spencer, who spent 11 years as Navy’s offensive line coach, isn’t the only Tech assistant whose name has surfaced in connection with other head-coaching jobs.

Special teams coordinator Jeff Monken, who had earlier been mentioned as a possibility at Illinois State, declined to comment.

“It’s that time of year,” Johnson said of the coaching carousel and the speculation it generates. “My take is, if guys can better themselves in this profession, find something that’s better for their families and their careers, I’m all for it. I’ll be the first to help.

“The only thing I can tell you is, I wouldn’t believe everything I’ve heard through the media.”

If one of his assistants took a head-coaching job, Johnson said he didn’t think it would cause a major disruption before the Dec. 31 bowl game.

“I don’t know that it’s going to happen before the bowl game — if it does, we’ll deal with it,” he said.