Todd Monken to coordinate the overhauling of Georgia's offense

Former Southern Mississippi head football coach Todd Monken, shown here in 2013, was named Friday as Georgia's new offensive coordinator. Monken spent this past season as the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Cleveland Browns. / Southern Miss photo
Former Southern Mississippi head football coach Todd Monken, shown here in 2013, was named Friday as Georgia's new offensive coordinator. Monken spent this past season as the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Cleveland Browns. / Southern Miss photo

The Georgia Bulldogs will have their third offensive coordinator in as many years when the 2020 football season kicks off.

Todd Monken, who rose to prominence as a college coordinator early last decade at Oklahoma State and spent this past season guiding the offense of the Cleveland Browns, was announced Friday afternoon as Georgia's new offensive coordinator. James Coley, who held that responsibility for the Bulldogs this past season, has been reassigned on the staff and given the title of assistant head coach.

"We are excited to add Todd to our staff," Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. "He has a history of establishing explosive offenses at each and every stop in his impressive career in both the National Football League and at major college football programs."

Coley was promoted early last year to replace Jim Chaney, who was Georgia's offensive coordinator in Smart's first three seasons (2016-18) before leaving for the same role at Tennessee.

Monken's two seasons at Oklahoma State (2011-12) yielded a 20-6 record, with the 2011 team finishing 12-1 and ranked No. 3 nationally behind Alabama and LSU. Quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon, first-round selections in the 2012 NFL draft, helped the 2011 Cowboys average 520.2 yards and 44.2 points per game.

"He came in and embraced what we had and put his fingerprint on it and did an unbelievable job," Weeden said. "He's an innovative coach who brings that fire and passion you need. He's one of my favorite coaches I had the opportunity to play for and a great guy as well. We were lucky to get him, and it worked out for both sides."

The 2012 Cowboys did not have the same stability at quarterback, with Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt each getting starts, yet still averaged 547.0 yards per game.

Monken parlayed his success in Stillwater to his lone career head-coaching opportunity at Southern Mississippi. He took over a program that went 0-12 in 2012 and endured 1-11 and 3-9 records his first two years before leading the Golden Eagles to a 9-5 mark in 2015.

Three seasons in Hattiesburg would be it, however, as Monken left to become offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a post he held for three years before joining the Browns. Tampa Bay finished third in the NFL in total offense in 2018, when the Bucs led the league in passing yards.

Monken's one and only offense in Cleveland was highlighted by former Georgia running back Nick Chubb, who rushed for 1,494 yards and averaged 5.0 yards per carry.

Georgia's offense dipped in productivity this past season and is undergoing an overhaul with the departures of quarterback Jake Fromm, running back D'Andre Swift and linemen Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson, Solomon Kindley and Cade Mays, who all left Athens with eligibility remaining. The Bulldogs recently added graduate-transfer quarterback Jamie Newman from Wake Forest and have an abundance of emerging talent, most notably running back Zamir White and receiver George Pickens, the MVP of the Sugar Bowl dumping of Baylor on New Year's night.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.

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