Georgia has found its offensive coordinator. As the Bulldogs look to rejuvenate an offense that fell below expectations last season, coach Kirby Smart is reaching into the NFL ranks by hiring former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Todd Monken to the same position.
Monken, who has spent the last four seasons in the NFL as offensive coordinator with the Browns (2019) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-18), has bounced between the league and college football since 2007, when he began a three-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars as wide receivers coach. However, he has plenty of experience at the collegiate level. Monken served as Southern Miss coach from 2013-15, worked as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State from 2011-12 and was the passing game coordinator at both LSU (2005-06) and OSU (2002-04) previously.
Welcome to Athens, Coach Monken‼️#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/6K3Ip7jwvq
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) January 17, 2020
It will be interesting to see if Monken brings a new approach to Georgia's offense. The SEC has seen a drastic change in offensive philosophy in the last few years. First, it was Alabama that evolved from a more traditional run-heavy, pro-style offense to a pass-happy attack that flourished in recent years with Tua Tagovailoa, and in 2019 the whole world saw what happened when LSU made a similar change. Georgia, however, has stayed true to the more traditional pro-style offense that dominated the SEC for so long.
Monken's history would certainly suggest a change is coming, as he's long been involved in offenses that have been a bit more pass-heavy. In his first season at Southern Miss, Monken's offense threw the ball 485 times, but for only 2,911 yards. By his final season in 2015, the Southern Miss offense was throwing 531 times for 4,616 yards, 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. It was Monken's offense that helped develop Nick Mullens, who is currently a backup quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers. The offense Monken ran at Southern Miss was similar to the one he ran for two years at Oklahoma State.
It isn't necessarily an Air Raid, but it utilizes a lot more four-receiver sets than we've typically seen from Georgia's offense.
James Coley, who joined the Dawgs with Smart as wide receivers coach in 2016 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018, has not been relieved from his position according to a release from the school. He will remain on staff as an assistant head coach.
Georgia's offense regressed in 2019, seeing reductions in scoring average and yardage totals with quarterback Jake Fromm appearing to take a step back from his impressive sophomore campaign one year prior. Fromm and star running back D'Andre Swift are among the departures for the Dawgs offense this offseason.
Todd Monken is the cousin of Army coach Jeff Monken.
