If there was one position for the Georgia Bulldogs that stood out above the rest in 2014, it was the running backs.

So it should come as no surprise that running backs coach Bryan McClendon earned a well-deserved coaching honor on Monday when FootballScoop.com gave him the Running Backs Coach of the Year award.

Georgia was expected to be carried this season by Heisman Trophy candidate Todd Gurley. And while the junior raced out to the SEC lead for rushing yards and was as good as expected, but a NCAA rules violation planted a four-game suspension on Gurley. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a torn ACL in his first game back.

Despite losing arguably college football’s best offensive player, Georgia’ running game didn’t miss a beat thanks to true freshman Nick Chubb. A backup at the beginning of the season, Chubb exploded in his team’s final seven games, rushing for at least 113 yards and one touchdown in each of his starts.

What makes McClendon’s coaching job so impressive is how the Bulldogs’ running backs responded in the midst of adversity. They arguably got even better when Gurley went down. Not because the talent was necessarily better, but because they never lost confidence. Georgia didn’t even have Keith Marshall nor Sony Michel for good portions of the season due to injury, yet UGA’s offense never missed a beat.

From FootballScoop:

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo told FootballScoop, “Coach McClendon gets young guys ready to play better than anybody I’ve ever been around. He has done it 4 years in a row and his guys keep producing. He is a big reason for the success that we have had at UGA.”

McClendon has always been known as a top-notch recruiter, someone who has brought in some of Georgia’s biggest impact players. However, the 2014 season also showcased just how talented of a coach he is as well, and because of that, UGA’s running backs figure to play a big role in the team’s success for years to come.

The award winner was selected based off of nominations from college coaches, athletic directors and athletic department personnel.