Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart brought back Bryan McClendon earlier this offseason, and the Dawgs have already benefitted from that hire.
He will be the coach who helps the Dawgs evolve the offense into something that competes with the best across the country. McClendon has an incredible offensive mind, and the job offer had to be good enough for him to leave Miami and come home.
The former Dawg and coach were around during a period of success, but not like the one Georgia has right now. McClendon had success recruiting during his first tenure at Georgia, but it didn’t all click together.
Now, he is a part of the defending national champions’ staff, and now he has a chance to leave his mark on it. Smart made cultural changes, and it’s safe to assume that McClendon appreciates them.
Georgia football has one of the best coaches in the college game on their staff in Bryan McClendon.
While Cortez Hankton recruited the current guys on this team, it’s evident those players are already learning a lot from McClendon.
One of Georgia’s receivers, Ladd McConkey, spoke to the media about McClendon and spring practice on Tuesday.
"“Coach McClendon is very demanding. He’s going to let you know what he wants you to do and how he wants you to do it, so he’s been awesome,” McConkey said in his interview. “He’s taught us so much in the short time he’s been here, so I’m grateful that we were able to get him. He’s been an awesome pickup.”"
Demanding is the first word that came out of McConkey’s mouth, and that is a good thing because there should be a higher standard for Georgia’s receivers.
Hankton was a great coach too, but McClendon will elevate this receiving room to new levels. He has experience working with talented guys at Oregon and South Carolina, so now he can take that and kick up the Dawgs’ receivers a few notches.
There is a reason Smart targeted McClendon, and being a former Dawg isn’t what was at the top of the list. It’s his understanding of the game and ability to relay that information to players. Not to mention, McClendon’s recruiting abilities are top-notch, and now that he is back in Athens, where the recruiting budget is larger than life, he will have even more success.
Don’t be surprised if you see McClendon’s name toward the top of the recruiter rankings because he knows how to sell a program, and this one is an easy sell.
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Georgia is extremely blessed to have him on its staff. He could become a head coach one day or an offensive coordinator because of how he understands football.
McClendon takes it all in and relates to the players, so they listen. His career is just getting started, and McClendon will be even more successful than he already is.
He is here to make Georgia’s receivers more elite and bring in wideouts that the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, and other pass-heavy schools sign yearly.
Georgia may have gotten George Pickens along the way, but the Dawgs haven’t always signed the most potent receiving classes. They have talent, but it’s not on the same level as others. Now it’s time for the Dawgs to make that step, and it comes through McClendon.
While the Dawgs are RBU, they’re evolving this offense into one of the most dominating on the ground and through the air. Changes are coming without sacrificing the Dawgs’ identity too much.
McClendon knows how to do that, and it’s going to be fun watching him work with offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Georgia football will see a change in its receivers this year, and it’ll prove why this hire is so beneficial for the program’s future. The Dawgs are blessed to have McClendon, and the 2022 season will show it.