Gamecocks football officially adds latest million dollar assistant in Mike Bobo
South Carolina football officially has the new leader of its offense, and he’s coming at a price tag of more than a million dollars.
The university’s board of trustees approved the contract for Mike Bobo to become Will Muschamp’s third offense coordinator. He’ll make $1.2 million a year for two years on the deal.
The full contract is guaranteed. His buyout should he leave is $200,000 in 2020 and $100,000 in 2021.
“I’m excited to bring Mike on board,” Muschamp said in a statement. “He is a proven and respected play-caller and quarterbacks coach, who I have faced many times over the years. Over the last 13 years, his offenses have averaged over 31 points and 424 yards per game while converting over 43 percent on third down. He also has a long relationship with both (running backs coach) Thomas Brown and (wide receivers coach) Bryan McClendon, so it will be a smooth transition for our offensive staff.”
The board also made amendments to Brown and Muschamp’s deals.
According to his separation agreement with Colorado State, Bobo will make $608,334 from that school for each of the next three years. USC also has wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson making more that $1 million.
Bobo will be Muschamp’s third offensive coordinator as he heads into his fifth season in Columbia. Bobo is set to replace McClendon, whose tenure started well and ended with a disastrous 2019.
All three men graduated from Georgia. Bobo and Muschamp played together, while McClendon played for and later joined staffs Bobo was on at UGA.
This comes not long after McClendon was demoted to wide receiver coach and quarterback coach Dan Werner was pushed off the staff — two moves the school has yet to publicly acknowledge. Bobo’s background is in quarterbacks, the position he played in Athens.
After USC’s season-ending loss to Clemson, Muschamp promised changes and said the offense was in need of repair.
“There’s a lot of different areas that are at fault,” Muschamp said. “It needs to get fixed and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Bobo went 28-35 at Colorado State, including a 7-17 run the past two seasons. His offense was less an issue than the defense, and his 2016 and 2017 offenses were particularly potent. Bobo also dealt with a health scare in 2018.
Before that, Bobo coached at Georgia from 2001-2014. He was quarterbacks coach the first half of that, then became offensive coordinator in 2007.
His offenses tended to showcase talented running backs and at times left UGA fans feeling the team didn’t get the most from the talent available. His scheme has evolved the past few years.
He coached the likes of Georgia greats Matthew Stafford, Aaron Murray, David Greene, Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley, Isaiah Crowell, A.J. Green and Knowshon Moreno.
He also had one year as OC at Jacksonville State and has a reputation as a strong recruiter.
As a player, he threw for 6,334 yards, including 2,400 and 2,700 yards his final two years.
South Carolina’s offense returns a second-year starting quarterback in Ryan Hilinski, likely two of its top five pass catchers in Shi Smith and Josh Vann, and four of its top five offensive linemen. USC is losing its top three rushers (Tavien Feaster, Rico Dowdle, Mon Denson) and its No. 1 receiver in Bryan Edwards.
Mike Bobo’s coaching career
1998: Georgia (Administration)
1999: Georgia (Graduate Assistant)
2000: Jacksonville State (Quarterbacks)
2001-06: Georgia (Quarterbacks)
2007-14: Georgia (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2015-19: Colorado State (Head Coach)
This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 2:38 PM.
