Todd Monken details 'awesome' experience working with Mike Bobo

ATLANTA, Ga. — The man who called plays for the highest-scoring offense in Georgia history is currently on the Bulldog support staff. That man is not offensive coordinator Todd Monken but rather offensive analyst Mike Bobo. Those two coaches are in their first year working together, Monken doesn’t believe it was necessarily his decision to bring Bobo on, and since joining forces roughly 11 months ago, they’re working quite well together.

Monken, who spoke in a 26-minute breakout session with reporters at The Westin Peachtree Plaza on Wednesday, recalled Kirby Smart coming to him to discuss Bobo after last season. The Bulldog head man left it up to Monken but he knew better. Smart and Bobo had played together at Georgia. They were close friends. They believed in one another.

But Monken was fine with in and next thing you know, he’s giving a speech at the Broyles Award Ceremony and giving props to Bobo for the mechanics behind a play that resulted in an SEC Championship game touchdown.

“Mike Bobo has drawn cards for us,” Monken said with a tone of near disbelief. “He’s drawn cards like a 22-year-old. Who’s said I’m going to embrace this role of doing red zone. I can’t take everything the guys say as a suggestion, and yet the lack of ego, and just wanting to do things has been unbelievable.”

Bobo played quarterback at UGA and his coaching career took off in Athens. He became the full-time offensive coordinator under Mark Richt in 2007 after six seasons as serving as the quarterbacks coach. There were ups and downs, especially in the beginning, but Bobo’s offense tallied a school record and SEC-leading 41.3 points per game in 2014.

Most of that was done on the ground with Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, and Sony Michel teaming up to average over six yards per carry but the Bulldogs complimented an explosive rushing attack with an efficient passing game for an entertaining season. They still lost three games and didn’t play for anything significant at seasons end, earning a trip to the Belk Bowl.

Georgia played in that game without Bobo on its sideline. John Lilly was elevated to play-calling duties as Bobo had already moved on to Colorado State as the head coach. When things didn’t work out in Fort Collins, he became current UGA co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s offensive coordinator at South Carolina.

That lasted a year with Muschamp getting fired and Bobo serving as interim head coach. Then he took a job as the offensive coordinator at Auburn. The stint there was short, also lasting just one season before Bobo made his way back to Athens.

It’s a different place than when he left. The Bulldogs have an indoor practice facility and the offensive playcaller is making four times what Bobo made. It’s a different culture and a different top-down commitment to winning.

Monken may not know much at all about Bobo’s history at Georgia and some of the things he helped the program achieve while he was an on-field coach, but he certainly understands what he has meant to this year’s team — Bobo, Buster Faulkner, and many others.

“We wouldn’t be where we’re at without all of those people that support us, be it our younger coaches, be it our GA’s, be it our analysts, that add value to where we’re at.”

“We wouldn’t be where we’re at without all of those people that support us, be it our younger coaches, be it our GA’s, be it our analysts, that add value to where we’re at,” Monken said. “Because when you’re playing good teams and you’re playing in the league we’re at, all you’re trying to do is find small percentages, just like in the NFL, where can we gain one percent here or there, where can we be better in terms of our gameplan by one percent.

“Can we prepare ourselves a certain way, the people we surround ourselves with, can we prepare our bodies better. Because just trying to gain little advantages here or there, and to have guys like that that check their ego and have to put up with my ass every day, and the way I am, and to add an extreme amount of value to our staff, I’m fired up that Mike’s here and I hope he’s here for an extreme amount of time.”