, ▁Tennessee . ▁The ▁E ag les ▁reb ounded ▁under ▁Johnson ▁and ▁won ▁back - to - back ▁national ▁champion ships ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁( vs . ▁Young st own ▁State ) ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁( vs . ▁Mont ana ). ▁Both ▁champion ships ▁were ▁won ▁in ▁Ch att ano oga . ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁season , ▁Johnson ▁res igned ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Mike ▁S ew ak ▁( 2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 5 ) ▁Johnson ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁Mike ▁S ew ak . ▁Despite ▁winning ▁the ▁Southern ▁Conference ▁championship ▁twice ▁in ▁his ▁ten ure ▁( out right ▁title ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁shared ▁title ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ), ▁his ▁lack ▁of ▁post season ▁success ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁falling ▁out ▁with ▁former ▁head ▁coach ▁Er k ▁Russell ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁firing ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁season . ▁ ▁Brian ▁Van G order ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁Brian ▁Van G order , ▁a ▁former ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator ▁at ▁Georgia , ▁was ▁h ired ▁to ▁succeed ▁S ew ak . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁many ▁controvers ial ▁moves , ▁Van G order ▁scra pped ▁Georgia ▁Southern ' s ▁f amed ▁triple - option ▁off ense ▁and ▁did ▁away ▁with ▁certain ▁trad itions , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁team ' s ▁arrival ▁at ▁home ▁games ▁on ▁yellow ▁school ▁bus es . ▁Er k ▁Russell ▁had