One of Georgia’s biggest offseason moves was adding Bryan McClendon to its coaching staff.
The former Bulldog receiver is coaching wide receivers in his second coaching stint at UGA since graduating in 2005.
This week ESPN named McClendon as an assistant to watch ahead of the 2022 season.
“McClendon is very familiar with the program, after playing wide receiver there and coaching the receivers in 2015 after a six-year run with the Bulldogs running backs. He also coached wide receivers at both South Carolina and Oregon, holding an offensive coordinator title at South Carolina. McClendon was set to move with Mario Cristobal from Oregon to Miami before Georgia came calling, “Adam Rittenberg writes.
McClendon coached running backs and receivers in his first stint at Georgia under head coach Mark Richt and later served as interim head coach in the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl after Richt’s departure.
Georgia’s Kirby Smart brought McClendon back to Athens in January just four weeks after McClendon was named co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach at Miami under new coach Mario Cristobal, who brought McClendon with him to Miami from Oregon where he served in the same capacity.
Before his stint in Eugene, McClendon coached three seasons at South Carolina where he served as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach and eventually was named offensive coordinator in 2019.
“Georgia’s ability to consistently threaten opposing defenses with its passing offense could shape whether it becomes an Alabama-like dynasty, or waits a bit longer for its next national title. That’s why coach Kirby Smart’s hire of McClendon looms so large in Athens.”
