Mike Bobo Georgia football 2014

ATHENS — Mike Bobo was the architect of the highest scoring team in Georgia football history, but not all Bulldogs’ fans are bought into the new offensive coordinator.

Hutson Mason was the quarterback for that 2014 Georgia team, and he understands the angst in the wake of Todd Monken leaving, even if it is misguided.

Monken, after all, made great use of Georgia’s high-profile skill position players the past three seasons, famously transforming former walk-on QB Stetson Bennett from fourth-stringer to two-time CFP Offensive MVP.

WATCH: Stetson Bennett appears bulked up in Dallas video

The Bulldogs scored 41.1 points per game this season, taking advantage of an overmatched TCU squad to run up the score in a 65-7 CFP Championship Game win.

And yet, Bobo’s 2014 offense still holds the record with 41.3 points per contest.

“People look at the numbers and they weren’t great in terms of sheer passing volume, but we didn’t have to throw the ball that much,” said Mason, a rising star at 680 The Fan who also does color commentary on select ESPN broadcasts.

“Our rushing attack was unstoppable, and Bobo and (offensive line coach) Will Friend were magicians with that run game.”

A Georgia backfield that featured Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel sawed defenses in half that season, leading the SEC with 257.8 yards per game on the ground and 38 rushing touchdowns.

Mason, a redshirt senior in 2014 who waited his turn behind SEC all-time leading passer Aaron Murray, passed for 2,168 yards in 13 games that season, setting a school record with a 67.9 percent completion percentage with 21 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions.

Bobo did in fact play-call one of the most efficient offenses in Georgia history his final season under Marc Richt, and many forget he did so with key players going in and out of the lineup that 2014 campaign.

Gurley served a four-game suspension that season for accepting $3,000 to autograph memorable — a laughable offense in light of today’s NIL rules and revelations of corruption in other programs that went unpunished.

With Gurley out, that Bulldogs team lost to Florida and Georgia Tech, derailing what could have been an even more magical season.

Michel was also missed time and was limited, first with a shoulder blade injury, and then an ankle injury in a season that saw him miss five games.

The 2014 Georgia team lost a 38-35 shootout at South Carolina the second week of the season, a game that star receiver Malcolm Mitchell could have surely made a difference in had he not missed the game with a knee injury.

That was then, this is now, and Mason looks into the Georgia football future and sees promise.

Smart’s offensive staff is filled with staffers who once worked under Richt -- including Smart himself, who was once the UGA running backs coach!

In addition to Bobo, Smart’s staff features former Richt assistants Bryan McClendon (receivers), Stacy Searels (offensive line), and Todd Hartley (tight ends).

“Bobo will have better weapons to work with than he did before,” Mason said. “That’s not a knock on any of our guys, because Kirby has been recruiting great. So there’s a better tool box, all around, to work with there.”

Indeed, the way Mason sees it, the promotion of Bobo from analyst to offensive coordinator of the Georgia staff gives the Bulldogs the best of both worlds.

“Offense was never a problem under Coach Richt,” Mason said, “and defense has never been a problem under Kirby, so it’s a great fit.”

Bobo, as the quarterbacks coach under Richt, has an impressive resume.

In addition to overseeing the highest scoring offense in Georgia history in 2014, Bobo ….

• Coached the winningest QB in SEC history (David Greene)

• Coached the all-time SEC leading passer (Aaron Murray)

• Coached a No. 1 overall draft pick and future Super Bowl champion (Matthew Stafford)

Bobo’s experience under Richt, and his year as an analyst learning the offensive personnel and verbiage, made the hire make sense.

“Mike has a decade of experience as a successful SEC play-caller and over 20 years spent at UGA, both as a player and coach,” Smart said last week. “Mike was an excellent addition to our staff last year as an analyst, and we are looking forward to his expanded leadership on the offensive side of the ball.”