Believing there is no need to fix what isn't broken, Brian Schottenheimer was introduced Friday afternoon as the new offensive coordinator of the Georgia Bulldogs.
Georgia set a program record this past season by scoring 537 points and averaging 41.3 points per game. That led to an opportunity for former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Mike Bobo to become the head coach at Colorado State, and now it's up to Schottenheimer to continue the productivity in Mark Richt's program.
HARRIS PICKS TIDE
Damien Harris, the No. 1 running back in the 2015 signing class according to Rivals.com, committed Friday afternoon to Alabama. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder from Berea, Ky., picked the Crimson Tide over Kentucky and Ohio State. Alabama now has the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback, Blake Barnett of Corona, Calif.; the nation's No. 1 receiver, Calvin Ridley of Coconut Creek, Fla.; and the nation's top tailback. Barnett is among the Crimson Tide's eight early enrollees.-- David Paschall
Schottenheimer, 41, has been the St. Louis Rams' offensive coordinator for the past three seasons and hasn't coached in college since he was Southern California's tight ends coach in 2000.
"It's about sustaining the success," Schottenheimer said. "That's the goal. I am coming into a situation where there are a bunch of really good coaches on the staff. We're not going to reinvent the wheel. Philosophically, Coach Richt and I see this program and things the same way as far as the pro-style offense.
"We're going to run the football. Obviously, that's a big part of what we're doing. It was really kind of an easy fit and an exciting fit, because not a lot of teams in college football are doing it this way."
Schottenheimer received a three-year contract, but financial terms were not disclosed.
Richt said he and his staff met with Schottenheimer for four to five hours on Tuesday. Richt, who met with one other candidate in person, announced the Schottenheimer hiring on Wednesday through a release.
"One of the greatest attractions for me in looking at Brian is the fact that we do think a lot alike philosophically," Richt said Friday. "I'm not going to sit here and say we're going to do exactly what we did, because we do want to know the things that Brian knows and the things that can help us grow as an offensive football team.
"We also didn't want to just totally stray away from the success that we've had and the style of play."
Schottenheimer, the son of former NFL head coach Mary Schottenheimer, was a college quarterback who began his career at Kansas but transferred to Florida so he could learn about the pro-style offense under coach Steve Spurrier. In his three seasons with the Gators from 1994 to 1996, Florida swept Georgia by the average score of 50-13.
It has been pointed out to Schottenheimer that Georgia players drink PowerAde and not Gatorade, and he apparently made the mistake of calling the annual Jacksonville showdown the "Florida-Georgia" game.
"That almost did me in," Schottenheimer said.
He will head an offensive staff that will continue to include Bryan McClendon as running backs coach, Tony Ball as receivers coach and John Lilly as tight ends coach. Lilly assumed play-calling duties in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 30, when the Bulldogs racked up 492 yards in a 37-14 throttling of Louisville.
The Bulldogs are seeking an offensive line coach to replace Will Friend, who is now Bobo's offensive coordinator at Colorado State, and Richt said Schottenheimer would have some input in that hire.
Schottenheimer was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the summer of 2004 and had his thyroid removed along with 17 lymph nodes. He interviewed for Alabama's offensive coordinator opening after the 2011 season, a job that went to Doug Nussmeier, and interviewed after the 2013 season for Vanderbilt's head-coaching vacancy that went to Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason.
"I see this as a new journey and a new start," Schottenheimer said. "I'm really excited about it, and I see myself in this game for a long time."
Odds and ends
Richt was asked if Alabama ever contacted him regarding new Crimson Tide defensive tackle Jonathan Taylor, who was dismissed from the Bulldogs last July, and he said no. ... As far as recruiting, Richt said the state of Georgia as well as metro Atlanta would continue to be divided nine ways among the assistants. ... Richt said he was unaware of any player attrition going into winter workouts.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.