In college football circles, Kirby Smart is the sturdy trunk, his coaching tree spreading across the sport. He has cultivated assistants ready for the next leap. Dan Lanning may be his strongest branch so far, but now a $6.4 million NFL powerhouse is eyeing another offshoot from Smart’s tree. 

“Todd brought an exceptional level of professionalism and creativity to our program, Smart said, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, on Todd Monken stepping into the Cleveland Browns.

His ability to develop quarterbacks and craft game plans tailored to our players’ strengths was instrumental to our success. What we accomplished wouldn’t have been possible without his impact. We’re incredibly excited for Todd and Terri.”

Flashback to 2020. Monken was 53, fresh off a single season on Freddie Kitchens’ Browns staff, when Smart handed him the keys to Georgia’s offense. With Smart’s assistant coach James Coley leaving Athens, it filled the vacancy.

Monken’s hiring was a direct response to a stagnant 2019 offense that, despite its talent, ranked a middling fifth in the SEC across the board in scoring (30.8 PPG), total offense (408.1 yards), passing (223.0 yards), and rushing (185.1 yards).

On December 7, 2019, the SEC title game turned into a Joe Burrow showcase. LSU steamrolled fourth-ranked Smart’s squad 37-10 in a game that was never competitive. It cemented Burrow’s Heisman path and reinforced Georgia’s reputation for fading when it mattered most.

Monken’s arrival immediately transformed Smart’s offense, leading the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships during his final two seasons in Athens. Under him, Georgia jumped from 59th nationally in total offense in 2019 to eighth in the 2022 season.

The passing game followed the same upward arc, climbing from 72nd in yardage to 15th, all while laying the groundwork for a national title run and the program’s first Heisman finalist since Garrison Hearst in 1992.

“I feel like before he got here, I didn’t really understand football,” said the then Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett in an interview in 2023.

Smart had always feared losing Monken. LSU tried to poach him, Purdue reportedly saw head-coach potential, and the NFL never really stopped calling. The Bulldogs worked to keep him in Athens, signing him to a three-year, $2 million-per-year extension.

However, Monken’s tenure in Athens ended in 2023 when he accepted an offer to become the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator.  Meanwhile, it wasn’t just Smart who commented on the hire; a Pro Bowl veteran also shared his take. 

Kirby Smart’s former staff keeps getting support

Monken spent a season as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019 before linking up with Smart at Georgia. His résumé also includes stints as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator and three seasons as Southern Miss’s head coach. Now back in Cleveland, it’s a full-circle moment for Monken, and 3x Pro Bowler Kyle Long is already excited.

“Well, if you take a look at what the Cleveland Browns have at their disposal right now, they have a young quarterback that is not lacking in confidence,” he said on CBS Sports. “He loves throwing the football down the field. I love this hire already. I think Shedeur will really lean into this style of offense.”

Ever since Monken’s departure, Mike Bobo has held the offensive coordinator reins in Smart’s program. But there have been ups and downs during his tenure in Athens, sparking buzz about Bobo’s retirement. However, the coach confirmed he has no plans to retire. 

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“I don’t think he’s (Bobo) the right guy, I know he’s the right guy,” Kirby Smart said.

While Smart has successfully moved on, his praise for Monken serves as a clear acknowledgment that Georgia’s championship dynasty was built on the back of a coaching hire that changed everything.