How Will Mike Bobo Departure Affect Georgia Football Commits?

With Mike Bobo accepting the head coach position at Colorado State, there’s a question of how recruits who are committed for 2015 and 2016 will react.

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Any time there is a coaching change at a school, recruits who have committed to the program sit up and take notice. Many of them have a real and personal connection to the coach who primarily recruited them, and if that coach is no longer there, it can sway them away from their commitment.

With Mike Bobo (and likely Will Friend) now leaving Athens for Colorado State, it’s possible that some of the prized recruits who have committed to Georgia will rethink their decision and possibly even de-commit, even if only temporarily.

This is one of the harsh realities of college football recruiting, and is something that Mark Richt has now had to deal with for two straight seasons with the loss of two coordinators in as many years.

Here are some 2015 and 2016 commits who were recruited by either or both Bobo and Friend, and how strongly we feel they are locked into keeping their commitment to UGA.

Players who were primarily recruited by either Bobo or Friend, or just Bobo alone are at the highest risk for flipping, in particular the 2016 tandem of QB Sage Hardin and OT Ben Cleveland are going to be a high priority for Richt and his staff to firm up as soon as they can.

Although Bobo was the primary recruiter for DT Trent Thompson, we can only assume that Jeremy Pruitt will take the reigns and make sure he doesn’t lose such a prized defensive player.

If Richt brings in the right offensive coordinator to replace Bobo, and a top offensive line coach to replace Friend, then hopefully none of those recruits will have second thoughts, and flip their commitments. Only time will tell for now.

Keep your fingers crossed, Bulldog Nation.

Next: Grading Jeremy Pruitt's First Year at UGA