Kirby Smart hires NFL coordinator Todd Monken to help modernize Georgia's passing game
Has Georgia just found its Joe Brady?
That’s the hope down in Athens as Kirby Smart has hired former Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken. This news was first reported by Radi Nabulsi of Rivals.
Monken spent last season as the Browns OC after serving in that role for three seasons with Tampa Bay. According to Rivals, it’s unclear what exact role Monken will be serving in on the Georgia staff as the Bulldogs already have an offensive coordinator in place in James Coley.
However, ESPN is reporting that Monken will serve as Georgia’s offensive coordinator next season. ESPN was also the first to report Georgia’s interest in hiring Monken this offseason.
Monken also has plenty of college experience as he previously served as Southern Miss head coach and as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, LSU, Louisiana Tech, Eastern Michigan, Notre Dame and Grand Valley State.
With a new playcaller and new starting quarterback, Georgia’s offense could be unrecognizable next season. If you ask most members of Dawg Nation, that’s probably a good thing.
So are they gonna have co-offensive coordinators or is Coley being demoted? I hope they keep Coley on the staff because he’s making a nice little pipeline to UGA from south Florida.
Could do what LSU did this year. Monken could be passing game coordinator like Brady was.
Well ESPN is reporting he’s going as the OC so I doubt it’s going to be in a role as simply the passing game coordinator.
Then Coley will be fired?
that or relegated to Co-OC or “passing game coordinator” or something. Or maybe just QBs coach with an assistant head coach title.
Agreed
I’m skeptical about the UGA offense transforming into anything “unrecognizable”, but I am at least optimistic that a modernization will occur.
Honestly UGA has the plays ready to go but not quite the style. They still like to play slow on offense and use up 75-100% of the play clock on every down. When they would go hurry up, they looked as explosive as anyone on the offensive side. They have the players and play calls to put the opposing defense in a bind but this past year they let the defense get set and read what the offense was doing pre-snap. I think if they move to be faster and more aggressive on offense you’ll see them return to where they were in the past.
Agree. It’s not like you really need to hire somebody just to get a modern playbook. Georgia’s offense begins with a ball control philosophy, and they’ll either change that or they won’t.
I agree, good point. Fromm running the two mintue drill seemed to be way more effective than not.
I mentioned that to someone in a chat room not too long ago. If you watch Jake at Houston County, it was a more up tempo offense. When Georgia would run hurry up, Fromm was deadly. He was in his comfort zone.
While it will be interesting to see how this plays out with Coley, you knew something like this was coming. You don’t sign 4 of the top 100 players in the country who specialize in receiving without them feeling confident the ball will be in the air more than it has been the past 4 years under Kirby. This scheme/balance change has been brewing behind the scenes for a while. It should also be interesting to see how it impacts the offensive line personnel. I don’t think we’ll see 5 road-graders out there in 2020 if they can’t execute pass pro just as well.
I hope another team doesn’t take him from us.
If we could keep our program together and keep people from leaving us, it might not take another 40.
Chubb and Michel was rare I tell ya.
You is a foo.
I feel compelled to agree
1. I assume he and Coley bite the bullet and assume Co-OC roles.
2. I don’t see this as a “home-run” hire yet since Monken doesn’t really have A-list credentials or a wowing resume. When your star passing offense featured Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jamies Winston, that makes me nervous. That being said, I wouldn’t put the Brown’s anemic offensive struggles on his shoulders since he didn’t call plays and since there’s no telling what was going on with Freddie Kitchens running the show.
Overall, look at it this way–we’re replacing a special teams coordinator with a guy who has longtime NFL offensive coaching experience, and we’re still retaining our recruiting chops with Coley. It might not be the hire of the year, but I don’t really see how our offense can go anywhere but up.
I think Coley will change roles. Which might make him leave.
If he’s getting paid the same he probably doesn’t care for now.
@KirbySmart: His credentials are better than you apparently think.
When he had Fitzpatrick and Winston as his quarterbacks, that team was still the #1 passing offense in the NFL in 2018 with 320 yards per game. Imagine what he could have done with a good quarterback. It was ranked #4 in the NFL in 2017 with Monken as OC.
In college, he was the OC for Oklahoma State in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, Oklahoma State was the #2 passing offense in the FBS. In 2012, it was the #8 passing offense in the FBS. In his last year as the head coach at Southern Miss (2015), that team was the #10 passing offense in the FBS.
You took the words out of my keyboard. Home run.
Look out! This must be upsetting for those “Kirby can’t” trolls.
First Kirby goes out and gets a duel threat QB, and now a new OC.
Monken’s Tampa Bay offense set records for total yards, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
All this must be very upsetting for the anyone but Georgia crowd.
I can’t wait to see the offensive rebuild…
Look, I personally am kind of a mess right now knowing Georgia hired a new assistant coach. I’m probably going to relapse on PCP, in fact.
LMAO
Supreme Gump and BT, Yeah, I thought so…
LMAO… Why would this be upsetting? Kirby has been recruiting how long now at UGA? Yet UGA needs to bring a grad transfer QB I’m because they don’t have a QB that he feels confident in to lead the team…
Sorry but that’s not going to upset anyone even if you try to make a post pretending people are all the sudden mad…
“Duel” threat? Is he going to be getting into gentlemanly gunfights?
Seriously though can we make that a thing?
Like maybe on a 4th and inches they can just take 10 paces with a quick turn for the 1st down
I’m still here, and Kirby still can’t. This must be the year you finally win the big game right? Lol
Kirby is making some moves that might totally change the image of the Georgia-run-first philosophy. After the lack of a consistent offense during 2019…seems like a good move(unless Coley bolts). Kirby Smart is doing what needs to be done…to hopefully take that next step in the SEC. To me….what ya got to lose ? Lot more QB running plays…If Newman can win the QB job.
What is there to lose? The East. Top 10 finish. Double digit win seasons. But, maybe it’s worth it.
Trying the same thing again this year because you’re scared of placing outside the top 10 is not the mindset that lands you at #1
Oh I agree. But, you’ll be here raising heck next year if it falls apart.
We’ll do that anyway. When’s the last time you met a happy Georgia fan?
UGA has said Coley will be in a new role, but has not specified.
Nice hire for UGA
It’s a little ironic that they hired the brother of Army’s HC to help “modernize their passing game.” I really don’t know anything about him other than that, so it could be a good hire. That was just my initial thought.
Night and day offensively, and they’re cousins.
I was hoping this was true when I first heard about it. I don’t really care about the NFL staff and what he did there. I went back and watched the Oklahoma State offense of 2011-12. It was very impressive the way they not only through the ball, but also use the run game. I’m excited to see what Monken and Newman can bring to the UGA offense.
Ohh and to the grammar professor on here. I do know the difference between a comma and a period. It’s just that we stupid ole rednecks are hardly ever in a situation where we have to use our fancy book learnings and such.
I’m assuming you’re referring to me as the grammar professor. My comment on the other article was not a reply to you but to another commentor. If you click on my screen name you’ll see a recent history of my comments and then you’ll see what I mean. Probably no reason to call me a prick, but the comment thread did make it confusing to accurately determine who was commenting to whom, and my jab was not intended for you.
Then I’ll own up to my ignorance and apologise for the misunderstandingand the childish name calling.
and
No worries in the least. Lord knows I’ve been ignorant plenty of time. Accidents happen and the format of the comment sections on SDS can make it difficult to follow replies.
Guess we’re going more vertically downfield more often along with the run game.
We are still RBU, though. We will still run just with more passing.
Go Dawgs!
Should be a good hire for UGA. Curious to see how much their offense changes next year
Coley will still remain as assistant head coach but will no longer be the OC. He is a very recruiter so I see why Kirby wants to keep him. Coley said this today:
“You know what? I’ve got to do a better job, first and foremost, starts with me, right?” Coley said. “So I’m looking at myself hard and criticizing myself and busting my tail to get that end better.”
^good
I dont know enough about Monken to have an opinion on him. But, I am excited that Kirby went this big to shake up the painful Coley O from last year. Oh, and I have a tinge of Shotenheimer PTSD making my eye twitch.
Great move for you guys. Our Coach O proved it could be done. Now Kirby is gonna have them Dawgs busting out of that doghouse next year. Looks like we’re gonna be rebuilding our coaching staff too. The fun never ends in the SEC !!!
Not sure what to make of this hire? Gotta be better, right? Hopefully Coley stays as he is a good recruiter.