ATHENS — Georgia football is expected to announce the hiring of former NFL offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Monken, 53, directed the NFL’s top passing offense while calling plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 before spending last season as the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator.
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The 2018 Bucs averaged 320.3 yards through the air with quarterbacks Jameis Winton and Ryan Fitzpatrick combining to complete 65.3-percent of their passes. Monken’s Tampa Bay offense set records for total yards, passing yards and passing touchdowns
Monken, considered an expert in the “Air Raid” style of offense, did not call plays with the Browns last season.
“Really what I took away from (the Air Raid) was being able to throw to win,’’ Monken said after taking the Browns job last season in a Cleveland.com story.
“That really to me was the Air Raid. You had a certain amount of run game, you ran a lot of the same concepts and you could throw to win. That was really it. Like any offense, it works a lot better if you have good players.”
Monken also said, “I’ve always chosen places based on the people and the opportunity to win.”
Georgia brings back 5 of 11 starters off an offense that beat Baylor 26-14 in the Sugar Bowl, including the game’s MVP, receiver George Pickens.
The Bulldogs have ushered in graduate transfer QB Jamie Newman from Wake Forest to take over for departed junior Jake Fromm.
Newman possesses dual-threat ability, bringing an escapability element to the pocket as well as the potential to make yards with his legs as well as his arm.
RELATED: Comparing Jamie Newman’s 2019 stats to Jake Fromm
Georgia included RPO elements in last season’s offense, and Monken said last year that RPOs are “where football has been and that’s been my background.”
Georgia also brings back a trio of rising playmakers in the backfield, with Zamir White, Kenny McIntosh in James Cook all flashing electric moments last season.
Monken schemed for a Cleveland offense that, while not as explosive as the one he oversaw in Tampa Bay, produced the NFL’s No. 2 rusher in Nick Chubb.
Chubb, a former Bulldogs’ star, rushed for 1,494 yards last season, averaging 5 yards per carry.
Monken is well-traveled in both the pro and college ranks, starting his career as an assistant on a Division ll Grand Valley State staff (1989-90).
He had notable stops on staffs at Oklahoma State with Mike Gundy (2002-04, 2011-12), and LSU with Les Miles (2005-06).
Monken was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach when the Cowboys had Brandon Weeden and J.W. Walsh under center — two of the top QBs in program history.
Oklahoma State ranked second in the nation in passing offense in 2011, future first-round NFL draft pick Weeden ninth in the country in passing efficiency.
The next season, Walsh ranked fourth in the nation in passing efficiency as a redshirt freshman who appeared in 10 games in 2012, the Cowboys seventh in the nation in passing yardage per game.
At LSU, working with future first-round NFL pick JaMarcus Russell in 2006, Monken helped Russell finish tops among FBS Power 5 quarterbacks in passing efficiency (167.0), with 28 TDs and 8 interceptions.
Munken also served a three-year stint as head coach at Southern Miss (2013-15), compiling a 13-25 mark.
Munken, however was 9-5 his final season, 7-1 in conference, and that led to him being hired a Tampa Bay in 2016, where his offense later produced franchise-record numbers.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart has not identified the role a new hire would play on his staff, but most assumed it would be in an offensive capacity.
UGA’s passing game ranked 72nd in the nation last season with 223 yards per game. The unit was strapped by the loss of the top five receivers from the season before and a rash of injuries at the position.
Monken has said before he prefers to call plays, and that’s a role current Bulldogs’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator James Coley handled last season.
Smart also added former Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke to the staff last month. Luke, in addition to being a line coach, is also a former offensive coordinator.
WATCH: Todd Monken talks Air Raid
Check back to DawgNation for more details as they become available.