Mike Bobo Named Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach

Mike Bobo has been named the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, University of South Carolina head football coach Will Muschamp announced today. Bobo has agreed to a two-year contract, which was approved by the University’s Board of Trustees this afternoon.
 
“I’m excited to bring Mike on board,” said Coach Muschamp. “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.”
 
Bobo just completed his fifth season as the head coach at Colorado State University, where he posted a 28-35 record, including a 20-20 mark in Mountain West Conference games. He guided the Rams to bowl games in each of his first three seasons, making him the lone coach in program history to accomplish that feat, and joined Sonny Lubick as the only two to coach the Rams in multiple bowl games in their careers. Overall, Bobo’s teams left their marks on the offensive record book at Colorado State, as his squads own three of the top-six marks for total offense in a season as well as the school record for most yards per game in a season, that coming in 2017 at 492.5 yards per game. His Rams also posted three of the top seven scoring seasons in CSU history and four of the top six marks for passing touchdowns.

In 2018 the Rams’ 26 touchdowns passes–from two different quarterbacks–ranked fourth in the record books, and CSU ranked 13th among all FBS programs in passing offense (304.9). Despite scoring offense being down and the running game dropping off after the departures of seniors on the offensive line and at running back, Bobo’s Rams still managed the 10th-best offensive season in CSU history in 2018, averaging 410.5 yards per game.

The 2017 Rams finished the season with a 7-6 record and ranked 11th in all of FBS in total offense (492.5). CSU also ranked second in third-down conversions (50.3%) and eighth in first downs (25.1), also both school records.

In 2016, Bobo became the first head coach in CSU history to lead the Rams to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons. In both 2015 and 2016 his Rams steadily improved and finished strong, highlighted by a 7-1 record in November games over his first two seasons, including a 4-1 mark on the road. The 2016 Rams closed the regular season winning four of their last five games, and five of their last seven, to finish the regular season at 7-5 for the second year in a row. The Rams’ offense fueled the late-season surge, averaging 47.8 points and 533.8 yards per game over the last six contests, including the bowl game. Those figures ranked second and fourth, respectively, among all FBS programs from Oct. 16 through the remainder of the season. CSU ranked fourth in the nation in red-zone scoring (94.6%), 28th in scoring offense (35.3) and 30th in total offense (462.5).

In 2015 Bobo became the only head coach in program history to win seven regular season games in his first season at the helm. Bobo’s Rams won four games in a row, and five out of six, to close the 2015 regular season, securing CSU’s third consecutive bowl invitation en route to a 7-6 record. CSU’s four wins in the season’s final month marked the first undefeated November by a Rams team since 1948, and included three road wins.

The former Georgia Bulldog came to Fort Collins from his alma mater, where he had been a record-breaking starting quarterback and spent 16 seasons coaching, including the last eight (2007-14) as offensive coordinator.

Bobo’s 14-year stint at Georgia, where he had starred at quarterback in the late 1990s, began in January 2001 when head coach Mark Richt hired him as quarterbacks coach, for his second stint with the school. He was promoted by Richt to offensive coordinator in 2007. During his time at UGA, Bobo helped lead the Bulldogs to 135 victories, including two Southeastern Conference championships, five SEC Eastern Division titles and eight bowl victories. The 2012 Broyles Award finalist held the offensive coordinator spot for 92 games with the Bulldogs, scoring 30-plus points 57 times, 40-plus points 29 times and more than 50 points 13 times.

In 2014 Bobo led a Bulldogs offense that averaged 41.3 points per game, which ranked eighth nationally, and racked up 457.8 yards of total offense per game. Against teams ranked in the Top 25, UGA compiled a 3-2 record while scoring 34.4 points per game. Additionally, the 2014 Bulldogs’ offense ranked in the top 15 nationally in rushing offense (257.0; 11th FBS), team passing efficiency (156.06; 9th FBS), completion percentage (67.4%; 7th FBS), fewest interceptions (6; 9th FBS), third-down conversion percentage (49.7%; 8th FBS) and fourth-down conversion percentage (80.0%; 3rd FBS). The 537 points scored in 2014 established a Georgia single-season record. The previous single-season record was set in 2012 while Bobo was offensive coordinator.

Bobo guided several talented quarterbacks at Georgia, including Aaron Murray, who played from 2010-13. Murray, who was chosen in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, set more than 25 UGA records and four SEC marks. He became the first player in SEC history to have at least 3,000 passing yards in four consecutive seasons. The NFL’s No. 1 draft choice in 2009, Matthew Stafford, also blossomed under Bobo’s tutelage. The Detroit Lions’ starting quarterback was second-team All-SEC and earned All-America recognition in 2008 for Georgia and was MVP of the 2009 Capital One Bowl.

In Bobo’s time at Georgia he also mentored quarterback David Greene (2001-04), who was the winningest quarterback in NCAA Division I history at the time (42), wide receiver A.J. Green, running back Todd Gurley and many others. In all, Bobo helped mold four first-round NFL draft choices at Georgia: Stafford (No. 1 in 2009), running back Knowshon Moreno (No. 12 in 2009), Green (No. 4 in 2011) and Gurley (No. 10 in 2015).

Prior to joining Richt’s staff at Georgia, Bobo served one year as an assistant coach at Jacksonville State, after working as an administrative assistant and graduate assistant from 1998-99 at UGA.

Bobo was a quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-97, earning four letters, and led the team in passing in 1996 and ’97. Among all UGA quarterbacks, Bobo ranks first in single-season completion percentage (65% in ’97), single-season passing efficiency rating (155.8 in ’97), second in career touchdown passes (38) and third in career pass completions (445), season passing yards (2,751 in ’97), career passing yards (6,334) and single-season touchdown passes (19). In his career Bobo threw for 6,334 yards, which is third-most all-time by a Georgia quarterback.

Bobo, a native of Thomasville, Ga., was inducted into the Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 10, 2016. He joined his father, George, a long-time successful high school coach in Georgia, who was inducted in 2013.

Bobo and his wife, Lainie, have five children, a son Drew; triplets Olivia, Jake and Ava Grace; and Kate.
 
The Bobo File:
Born: April 9, 1974
Hometown: Thomasville, Ga.
College: Georgia (1998)
Wife: Lanie
Children: Drew, Olivia, Jake, Ava Grace, Kate
 
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)