As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Mike Bobo.
Mike Bobo’s coaching experience (43 years old)
This is Bobo’s third year as the head coach at Colorado State, where he inherited a good program from Jim McElwain. He’s just 20-17 in three years (as of November 13), but he has kept the offense humming along. Prior to taking that gig, he was the offensive coordinator at Georgia for eight years and was an assistant at his alma mater before that. He was also a quarterback coach at Jacksonville State. Of course, he was the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs in his playing days.
GRT taxonomy of college football coaches: Great Coordinator (but with some (mediocre) Mid-Major head coaching experience)
Why the Tennessee Vols might want Mike Bobo
Bobo is a pretty strong offensive mind who knows the ins and outs of the SEC. He’s a dynamic recruiter who had a ton of success luring elite players to Athens, and he developed them well once they got there. He wasn’t always known for his play-calling acumen, but his familiarity with the league would serve him well. He also has built a strong staff in Colorado that includes former Vol Terry Fair.
Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Mike Bobo
Georgia fans weren’t in love with him as an offensive coordinator, plus he played ball at one of your biggest rivals. Come ON! There’s an argument to be made the Rams have taken a minor step down since he took over for McElwain, and though there have been some strong showings, CSU isn’t consistent. What kind of staff would Bobo build in Knoxville? Plus, this is not the kind of hire that would unite ticked-off fans.