▁the ▁E ag les ' ▁first ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁Southern ▁Conference ▁Co ach ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁However , ▁despite ▁these ▁accomplish ments , ▁St ow ers ▁was ▁never ▁able ▁to ▁live ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁expect ations ▁set ▁by ▁Russell ▁and ▁was ▁fired ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁after ▁a ▁ 9 – 4 ▁record ▁by ▁then - new ▁athlet ics ▁director ▁Sam ▁Baker , ▁who ▁never ▁saw ▁St ow ers ▁coach ▁a ▁game . ▁ ▁Frank ▁Ell wood ▁( 1 9 9 6 ) ▁St ow ers ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁inter im ▁coach ▁Frank ▁Ell wood ▁for ▁one ▁year . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁season ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁losing ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁modern ▁era ▁as ▁the ▁E ag les ▁fell ▁to ▁ 4 – 7 . ▁ ▁Paul ▁Johnson ▁( 1 9 9 7 – 2 0 0 1 ) ▁The ▁next ▁coach ▁for ▁the ▁E ag les ▁was ▁Paul ▁Johnson , ▁a ▁former ▁off ensive ▁coordin ator ▁for ▁Er k ▁Russell ' s ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁championship ▁teams . ▁Johnson ▁found ▁instant ▁success , ▁taking ▁the ▁E ag les ▁to ▁the ▁play offs ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁season . ▁He , ▁along ▁with ▁E agle ▁legend ▁Ad rian ▁N . ▁Pet erson , ▁reached ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁national ▁championship ; ▁however , ▁the ▁E ag les ▁lost ▁the ▁game ▁to ▁U M ass ▁in ▁Ch att ano oga