Kirby Smart addresses his decision to bring Bryan McClendon back

After Bryan McClendon left Oregon for Miami this offseason, Georgia swooped in and hired him to become its wide receivers coach. Bulldogs headman Kirby Smart spoke about the decision to bring the UGA alum back to Athens on National Signing Day.

McClendon spent the last two years as Oregon’s wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator under Mario Cristobal. He also served as the Ducks’ interim head coach for the Alamo Bowl after Cristobal left for Miami. He was preparing to follow Cristobal to Miami before Smart came calling.

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Smart is more than familiar with McClendon. He coached him for a year at Georgia and faced him at Alabama. That’s how Smart said he knew McClendon would fit the “culture” at Georgia.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bryan and the job he’s done,” Smart told reporters. “I’ve always respected him on the road recruiting. Had a lot of years at Alabama that I recruited against him in the state of Georgia. Coached him as a player here in terms of the way he carried himself as a special teams player, a leader. Got a lot of respect for him. He’s worked for people on our staff, worked with people on our staff, and I’m big on fit.

“Does someone fit the culture we’re trying to create? We don’t look at a lot of things that people on the outside world look at. I look at, ‘Can they make our staff better? Can they make our players better? Do they fit our culture?’ He checked the box on the most of those, and was the best fit and wants to be here. That’s important to me and what we create at Georgia.”

Georgia is bringing back Bryan McClendon as wide receivers coach

Bryan McClendon made a name for himself playing and coaching for Georgia. Now, the former Bulldogs star is returning home to Athens.

After a journey that brought him to South Carolina, Oregon and Miami after leaving Georgia, McClendon is returning as the Bulldogs wide receivers coach, according to DawgsHQ.

“Georgia has made a move to fill the vacancy at wide receivers coach as sources have confirmed to DawgsHQ that Kirby Smart has hired Bryan McClendon away from Miami,” wrote Palmer Thombs of DawgsHQ. “The former Bulldog pass catcher was set to be a member of Mario Crisobal’s first staff at ‘The U’ after making the move from Oregon with him, but will now head home to Athens where he played and began his coaching career.”