There may not be a more criticized man in Athens than Mike Bobo. The Bulldogs offensive coordinator has become the scapegoat for Georgia’s struggles in 2024, which ended in a disappointing defeat to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, a game in which the Bulldogs scored just ten points.
Immediately after that loss, top SEC talking head Paul Finebaum laid into Georgia head coach Kirby Smart for hiring his old friend Mike Bobo to replace Todd Monken, who helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.
“They will not be blaming Kirby Smart, they will be blaming Mike Bobo, who is the offensive coordinator,” Finebaum said on ESPN’s Get Up. “He came in and took over for (Todd) Monken who went to the NFL. And quite frankly, nobody is very happy with him.”
“He’s Kirby Smart’s best friend, they were roommates. And many believe that Kirby Smart has looked past reality and simply respected and honored a friend who used to work for Mark Richt at Georgia and then moved on and failed as a head coach.”
It’s a notion that’s shared by most Bulldogs fans, and there were conflicting reports earlier in the offseason about whether Mike Bobo would return for the 2025 season. However, with those now put to bed, Paul Finebaum is doubling down on his comments surrounding the Georgia offensive coordinator, continuing to blame Kirby Smart for his blind loyalty.
“I frankly believe Georgia’s problem is at the offensive coordinator’s position,” Finebaum said, via Dawgs 247. “I think Kirby Smart, for as great as I believe he is and I know you guys agree, is being way too loyal to Mike Bobo and I would get rid of Bobo today,” Finebaum said. “That was the frustrating part of last season. And Georgia was good. They just weren’t great. And I think when you compare them to the last couple years, they still did OK, but OK isn’t good enough at Georgia anymore. Georgia is the new Alabama. The expectations are to play for the title every year.”
“I mean, I think you could walk down Peachtree Street and get a better offensive coordinator than Bobo. I know I sound like a Finebaum caller now,” Finebaum continued.
The Bulldogs offense deserves most of the blame for Georgia’s struggles this past season, and Mike Bobo certainly wasn’t part of the solution. But when you really get down to the nuts and bolts, the finger should really be pointed at Kirby Smart, even if his success in Athens has essentially made him immune to criticism.
Smart is the man in charge of the coaching hires. So, if Mike Bobo really is the primary issue, Finebaum is correct in calling him out for his decision to hire and retain him. Or, if you believe the offensive line’s struggles and receiver issues were more about the personnel, Smart is also in charge of that.
No matter which way you slice it, Smart has to take a look in the mirror if the Bulldogs are going to bounce back and return to the National Championship picture in 2025. Georgia has to surround their quarterback with better playmakers, the offensive line needs to get back to what it does best, and Bobo has to concoct a formula of plays that best accentuates his players’ strengths. All of it must improve, or Mike Bobo won’t be the only man receiving a heap of criticism this time next year.
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Photo: Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire
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