Usually, when someone brings up apples and oranges in comparison, it’s to show how the two aren’t really comparable.
But that’s not what Kirby Smart was doing when discussing the transition from Mike Bobo to Todd Monken. He was using the metaphor to further illustrate how similar the two coaches are in their thinking and play design.
“A lot of the same plays that teams are running in the NFL, coach Monken and coach Bobo were running while they were at different places,” Smart said. “It’s just one called it apples and one called it oranges. We’re keeping a lot of the same terminology from Monken’s offense. We’ve got four coaches in that room already that are used to doing that. We got a group of players used to doing that.”
In addition to Bobo taking over for Monken, Georgia also has some key players to replace on the offensive side of the ball. Gone is quarterback Stetson Bennett, as are starting offensive tackles Broderick Jones and Warren McClendon.
Georgia’s offense won’t have the same strengths as it did a season ago when Monken leaned heavily on the tight end room and Kenny McIntosh’s pass-catching skills out of the backfield.
The 2023 Georgia team figures to rely more on its wide receivers, along with the interior of its offensive line. Those are two areas that Smart noted are helping the transition at the quarterback position.
Related: Kirby Smart updates the state of the Georgia quarterback position entering G-Day
Carson Beck, Brock Vandagirff and Gunner Stockton are competing for the starting quarterback job and will be working closely with Bobo as he is also the team’s quarterbacks coach.
Bobo was with the team last season, serving as an analyst who helped Monken with play design. Smart has known Bobo dating back to their days as teammates at Georgia and has coached against him numerous times throughout their careers.
Smart is more than confident that Bobo has the chops to help with the transition on the offensive side of the ball.
“I felt very comfortable about him carrying that over,” Smart said “I know how competitive he is. I know what a teacher he is. I know he cares about his players. More than anything in college football right now, players have to know you care about them. That you want them to be great. I know he wants those things for his team.”
Bobo will get his first chance to showcase the Georgia offense on Saturday in the team’s spring game. G-Day is set for a 4 p.m. ET start, with ESPN2 broadcasting the game.
More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation
- Kirby Smart updates the state of the Georgia quarterback position entering G-Day
- Kirby Smart shares what he likes about Damon Wilson, what the freshman must do to see the field
- Ryan Puglisi: The 2024 QB commit is back in Athens and that pledge remains strong
- Georgia football lands a commitment from playmaking WR Nitro “Showtime” Tuggle
- Georgia to introduce new mascot, UGA XI, at G-Day
- Latest Mel Kiper Jr. mock draft has Atlanta Falcons taking 2 Georgia standouts
- Vince Dooley pioneered spring game concept Hugh Freeze pushing 40 years ago, and it’s a good one
