Georgia football fans have complained about the conservative playcalling most of the year. Someone who could help out with that is former offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. Here are three reasons he could end up back in Athens.
While it might seem far fetched that Georgia football would go after a guy like Mike Bobo who left Athens for a head coaching job. However, at the same time, it doesn’t seem so silly if you look between the lines.
Through the first six games, Georgia’s looked lackluster at times on the offense, and well, when a defense takes out the run game, the Dawgs struggle.
South Carolina exposed a lot of Georgia’s weaknesses, and now the Dawgs either have to step up, or they’ll lose a few more games. We’ve seen the last couple of years since Kirby Smart got the job, where the team ultimately falls flat.
The Dawgs have had to have a wake-up call every season. Was the Carolina game a wakeup call? We will see on Saturday.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that Georgia’s got to find a way to get creative on offense.
Now is that playcalling, the defense just figuring it out or executing? It’s like a little bit of all three, but I haven’t seen the Dawgs get very creative at all.
Regardless, whether Coley overcomes this and is highly successful or he tanks, I think the Dawgs could be looking at a new offensive coordinator situation.
If Coley’s successful, then he could get a head coaching job somewhere, possibly FSU. And if Coley struggles, Georgia will either begin looking elsewhere or telling him to fix it.
I think either could happen. If it does, Bobo is the first person I believe Smart calls.
Needs to be the OC’s offense
Now I’m not saying that Coley doesn’t have 100 percent of the power when it comes to the offense.
I am saying that Smart knows what he wants, and Coley needs to stay in that area because that’s how all offensive coordinators and head coaches work.
So the whole run, run, and now pass on third down isn’t new. Georgia did the same thing with Jim Chaney. Smart knows that Saban won multiple titles running this kind of offense. However, the game of football’s changed since 2008.
I also realize that Bobo was around then too, and some say his offensive style is out of date. Colorado State’s offenses averaged 30.14 points a game since 2015.
Yes, I realize that isn’t a whole lot, but then look at how many points offenses averaged under him at Georgia. The Dawgs averaged from 2007 to 2014 averaged 34.11 points a game.
This offense can find ways to keep Fromm under so many passes and get creative with it, but Smart knows we’re the strongest at tailback, so they use them.
So one of the biggest reasons I believe that Smart would call Bobo is the fact he wouldn’t have to bat an eye at the offense.
My point is, Smart is a defensive guy. He likes working with those guys and making that an aggressive bunch. As for the offense, part of me feels likes he wants to hand it off and trust that the offensive coordinator and those coaches can get the job done.
With the talent Georgia has, Smart shouldn’t have to worry about the offense too terribly much. I’m not saying if Bobo came, the offense would be an afterthought for Kirby, but at the same time, I feel like a difference would happen.
He didn’t sign his contract raise
Back during the first week of 2019, Colorado State offered Bobo a $100,000 raise, and he declined it.
In December 2017, Bobo signed a five-year contract extension through the 2022 season.
Without this extension, Bobo’s contract would have ended after the 2019 season.
Colorado State’s athletic director Joe Parker then attempted to give him a raise, but after a 3-9 finish, Bobo declined.
Bobo told Mark Schlabach that he didn’t live up to the expectations.
“This is an administration that stood behind me, and I felt like we didn’t live up to our end of the deal,” Bobo said to Schlabach in an ESPN article. “I wanted to make a statement to our players that we’re in this together, and you’ve got be accountable, starting with me.”
Maybe Bobo realizes he doesn’t want to be a head coach. He is one heck of a play-caller and recruiter; however, the record shows that as the guy in charge, he doesn’t fit the mold.
Some aren’t cut out to be head coaches. I’m not saying Bobo isn’t. However, at the same time, he could make the same amount of money as the offensive coordinator at Georgia.
Right now his buyout is, according to Coloradoan.com, $3 million if he leaves in 2019. If he leaves after, the buyout will go down, but the article didn’t give actual numbers.
The point is Georgia could cough up some money to pay him and get him back on staff. Why not?
Bobo loves Georgia
The most natural reason Bobo could end up back in Athens is because of how much he loves it and that school.
He played at Georgia, then coached, and well, he has a ton of ties to Athens. Bobo still has family that lives in Athens.
Smart and Bobo are good friends as well. It’s already impressive that Georgia’s gotten Smart to be the head coach, now it would be even more incredible if Bobo came back to call the plays.
Those two together could be extremely dangerous. I think Bobo’s love for the team goes right along with Smart’s love for the team. Together the message would be doing whatever it takes to make Georgia successful.
WIth the amount of love they have for the university, it wouldn’t be forced. That love and passion would rub off to the players, forming an even closer bond.
Now, this whole article is speculation about whether or not Georgia will make this happen. Georgia’s just got an opportunity that I don’t think the Dawgs should pass up on.
Bobo’s play calling with this caliber of talent could be so much fun to watch.