Mike Bobo is not the most loved coach in Athens, especially when the Bulldogs are struggling offensively, but there is one person who has stuck with Bobo through it all, and that is Kirby Smart. Smart has known Bobo for years, playing with him at Georgia, to now coaching with him, so he certainly is going to stand behind his offensive coordinator.
At SEC media days, Smart spoke about the offense and Bobo's leadership of the offense, but when asked about what he feels his offensive coordinator brings to the table that fans just don't typically see, Smart made sure to silence the haters.
"He is really wise, he knows a lot about football," Smart said in an interview with On3's J.D. PicKell. "You want people on your staff that are really smart and have great experience. Part of being a good play-caller is calling plays; he has called plays in our conference for a long time."
Bobo has been with Georgia since 2022, but he has been an offensive coordinator in the SEC since 2019, starting with the South Carolina Gamecocks and then the Auburn Tigers before returning to the Bulldogs. Bobo knows how the SEC runs, he knows how the defenses are, and he knows how to run an efficient offense; he just hasn't always had the highest level of players to do so.
Mike Bobo gets blamed for bad weather if it rains in Athens.
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) July 15, 2025
Asked Kirby Smart what makes him the right guy to call plays at Georgia.
"He's called plays in our conference for a long time. He understands our conference..."https://t.co/QUPhKQP9qx | @DawgsHQ pic.twitter.com/qwnNshpsRP
Mike Bobo has a lot of offensive weapons at his disposal this season
While there technically hasn't been a starting quarterback named for the Bulldogs, based on who was brought to SEC Media Days, it seems like Gunner Stockton is going to be the initial guy for the Bulldogs. Stockton was able to play in Bobo's system towards the end of the season last year, and now, with a full offseason to work on it more, he should be ready to go.
However, Stockton is now surrounded by solid talent, especially in the wide receiver room. The biggest addition is former USC receiver Zachariah Branch, who finished his 2024 season with 503 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in an abysmal Trojan offense last season. Branch, however, will be used a lot more in the Bulldogs' new offensive scheme.
Bobo should have a lot more to work with this season when it comes to offense, and if, for some reason, Stockton doesn't work out, Ryan Puglisi is waiting in the wings to get his shot with the Bulldogs.