SDS will look at new assistant coaches around the SEC, highlighting their accomplishments, achievements, history and tough tasks ahead of them. Next up, Georgia’s Brian Schottenheimer.

Brian Schottenheimer, Georgia offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach

History:

  • 2015 — Georgia offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
  • 2012-14 — St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator
  • 2006-11 — New York Jets offensive coordinator
  • 2002-05 — San Diego Chargers quarterbacks coach
  • 2001 — Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach
  • 2000 — Southern California tight ends coach
  • 1999 — Syracuse wide receivers coach
  • 1998 — Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach
  • 1997 — St. Louis Rams assistant coach

It was bound to happen. With the success and respect he earned in his stint as Georgia’s offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo was eventually going to get a head coaching gig. He did this offseason, and Mark Richt looked to the professional ranks to replace him. In comes Brian Schottenheimer, the long-time NFL offensive coordinator.

Schottenheimer had previously been an OC at the pro level for a decade. He took over the New York Jets offense in 2006 after a stint in San Diego working with future league MVP Drew Brees. With the Jets, Schottenheimer saw mixed results. He helped steer the team to two AFC championship games, but those were largely credited to the defense. The Jets were below league average in points scored in three of Schottenheimer’s six seasons and below league average in yards gained in four of them.

From there, Schottenheimer went to St. Louis to run the Rams offense. The team didn’t finish above .500 in any of Schottenheimer’s three seasons, hamstrung by injuries to starting quarterback Sam Bradford and having to play his less-qualified backups.

Mark Sanchez very publicly did not develop as envisioned under Schottenheimer’s watch. While Sanchez has praised Schottenheimer’s game planning in the Jets 2009 and 2010 runs to the conference championship game, Sanchez didn’t give any ringing endorsements of Schottenheimer’s work outside of those postseasons.

Quarterback development will be the key for the new OC. He’s long been a coordinator who likes to run the ball, and he’ll have plenty of firepower to do so in Athens. With a talented stable of running backs led by Nick Chubb and an offensive line that returns four of five starters, Georgia is built for the “ground and pound” game.

The question will be whether Schottenheimer can get Brice Ramsey, the front-runner for the starting job, up to speed. Hutson Mason had several years in the system before he took over in 2014; Ramsey has just one season on the bench under his belt. He likely won’t be asked to do much more than manage the game and let the running game do the brunt of the work, but this is the SEC, where one-dimensional teams have trouble keeping up. Ramsey will have to be able to make the necessary throws, and it’s on Schottenheimer to get him there.

This Georgia offense will be one of, if not the most talented units Schottenheimer has ever worked with as OC (relative to competition, of course). He was a bit of a surprise as a hire, and he’ll have to get the offense humming immediately for Georgia to live up to expectations.