It didn’t take long for Kirby Smart to replace Todd Monken.
Georgia’s head coach moved quickly to fill a void on his offensive coaching staff.
Shortly after the Baltimore Ravens announced that head coach John Harbaugh would be hiring Monken as the team’s offensive coordinator, Georgia wasted no time in announcing that Mike Bobo, who served as the Bulldogs OC from 2007-14 would return in the same capacity. Bobo spent the 2022 season as an offensive analyst on Smart’s staff.
“I’m excited to name Mike Bobo our next offensive coordinator,” Smart said in a statement posted via Twitter. “Mike has a decade of experience as a successful SEC play-caller and over 20 years spent at UGA, both as a player and coach. Mike was an excellent addition to our staff last year as an analyst, and we are looking forward to his expanded leadership on the offensive side of the ball.”
Georgia officially announces Mike Bobo’s return as offensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/NCvqODdvSg
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) February 14, 2023
In Bobo’s final season as Georgia’s offensive coordinator in 2014 — before he left to take the Colorado State head coaching job — the Bulldogs’ offense put up a school-record 41.3 points per game.
In five seasons at Colorado State, the Rams went 28-35 under Bobo’s direction. Soon after he was let go, Bobo spent the 2020 season as South Carolina’s OC and even served as the Gamecocks’ interim coach following Will Muschamp’s dismissal. He would later re-join his alma mater as an offensive analyst following one season (2021) as the offensive coordinator at Auburn.
It’s a pretty massive move, and the college football world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
My opinion,
Mike Bobo is one of the few coordinators I’ve studied that makes me take the pad out and steal play design.
He’s never, in the 20 years of coaching, ever had something like the unit he will have now.
Taking prior “failures” and applying them here is wrong.
— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) February 14, 2023
From my conversations with sources I expect for Georgia’s offensive system and terminology to remain the same under Mike Bobo as it was under Todd Monken. Not having an offseason filled with install or an overhaul to the playbook will be a big help with an inexperienced QB room
— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) February 14, 2023
Georgia's gonna run the dang ball. Mike Bobo will be promoted back to OC. https://t.co/TARGUgrUY8
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) February 14, 2023
Will Muschamp and Mike Bobo are the coordinators for a team seeking its third straight national title, a perfectly normal expectation. pic.twitter.com/6LvdrpyF5q
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) February 14, 2023
The No. 1 player in the nation was told this might happen and if so, what #Georgia's plan was going to be. This actually helps #UGA's chances to land Dylan Raiola, the 5-star quarterback. He and and family really like Mike Bobo https://t.co/Uu2DGYKyLa
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) February 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/jontweetssports/status/1625540370942550016?s=20&t=RVQm8DkxIxidgS32sC4z6Q
From 2012-2014, the #UGA offense averaged right at 40.0 ppg under Mike Bobo as the offensive coordinator.
The last two seasons under Todd Monken, #UGA has averaged 41.1 (2022) and 38.6 (2021).
The big difference? In 2013, #UGA allowed 29.0 ppg. In 2014, #UGA allowed 20.7 ppg.
— Trent Smallwood (@SmallwoodTrent) February 14, 2023
Remembered this quote from Todd Monken back in December when Monken talked about Mike Bobo https://t.co/NFXgVVU4oh pic.twitter.com/G8hVXxjlf6
— Jordan D. Hill (@JordanDavisHill) February 14, 2023
Mike Bobo is a fantastic hire by Georgia coach Kirby Smart. There's a reason why Mark Richt's last season in Athens was in 2015. The offense fell off of a cliff when Bobo left to become the head coach at Colorado State after the 2014 season.
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) February 14, 2023
The hiring of Mike Bobo lengthens Georgia’s dynasty in my opinion because it provides stability.
Kirby Smart, Mike Bobo and Will Muschamp aren’t likely to be interviewing for new jobs every offseason after a CFP.
— Dayne Young (@dayneyoung) February 14, 2023
