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4 things: How Star-maker Todd Monken transforms Georgia offense
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4 things: How Star-maker Todd Monken transforms Georgia offense
ATHENS — Todd Monken has proven a great fit for Georgia football, to the extent that few if any are second-guessing the third-year offensive coordinator’s new $2 million deal.
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A few observations about TMonken. 1) has a really nice offense and has improved UGA's O greatly. 2) he's an older guy with an NFL background. Being a CFB coach is one of the worst (and best) jobs around. Worst because it is a 24/7/365 job. The lion's share of the time goes to recruiting (something NFL coaches NEVER do). That is not very appealing to NFL guys (or guys like Matt Luke, etc). Monken does not seem as directly involved with recruiting as some of the younger coaches are. Probably by design. But still telling.3) CKS is expected to be paid $10M/yr. CTM will be paid $2M/yr. It has never been more clear that CTM's days in Athens will probably be coming to an end after the '22 season. IF UGA's O goes up another notch on O expect Monken to move on to the NFL or to a HC position in CFB.
@UGADad20 Strong take, good observations.
$2M per year, living in Athens, lots of recognition for your skills as an OC, and, due to UGA's recruiting, layers of talent beyond what you might have elsewhere, might be enough to keep someone in Athens for a long while. For now, UGA's recruiting is almost like having the only NFL team that does not have a salary cap. If Monken can manage the recruiting load given to him, then maybe he can be happy staying where he is. His skills as an OC fit well with what he is being asked to do in Athens. I can't see him leaving for any other OC position, even in the NFL, and a college HC position will place more recruiting demands on him, and reduce his time for managing the offense. Even an NFL HC job will take away from managing the offense. I hope he likes what he is doing in Athens enough to be happy in turning down the offers sure to come his way.
Monken’s 3 tight end formation is a freak of nature that will be unstoppable.
An NFL OC does NO recruiting. They have lives in the off season. They have an off season. Their livelihood has nothing to do with the whims of 17 and 18 yo kids.
Would you work for $2M when you could work for $4M? A CFB HC has an entire staff to assist him.
IF the UGA O takes off this year (very QB dependent) Monken may be in line for an NFL HC job. The whole business of CFB is getting very messy. Either way I see Monken back in the NFL sooner than later.
@UGADad20
"CKS is expected to be paid $10M/yr. CTM will be paid $2M/yr. It has never been more clear that CTM's days in Athens will probably be coming to an end after the '22 season."
--Not sure how this makes it clearer than ever before that he's gone after '22. Do tell.
"...or guys like Matt Luke, etc"
A bit of a low blow (and a reach), don't you think? It wasn't that the recruiting load wasn't appealing to him--he's done it plenty of times before. I believe his family just appealed to him more.
There have many good observations in and about the article. I have also noticed that Monken doesn't seem to be a stud recruiter - or is he just not out front in the process and is being used as the closer? Show me an effective OC or DC and I'll show you a rising HC prospect. I'm not looking at that as a negative. Better to have an OC or DC that other programs see as HC material.
I know Monken struggled his last year in the NFL, but it's not like he wouldn't have had other NFL OC offers. Seems he wanted to come back to the college game. Now he's making top OC money and producing top offenses despite not having the very best talent. Now that he's proven himself at UGA, better talent will follow.
I like jrmdvm 1's point "$2M per year, living in Athens, lots of recognition for your skills as an OC, and, due to UGA's recruiting, layers of talent beyond what you might have elsewhere, might be enough to keep someone in Athens for a long while."
Having better talent is a huge luxury, just ask Saban. Then ask Saban if he wants to trade that for NFL parity. I realize that Monken won't stay at UGA forever, but I see no signs of leaving soon either.
Raising his pay to $2MIL has nothing to do with 2022. They had him locked-in, for '22, with or without a raise.
Smart knows that if Monkin is interested in taking a HC position elsewhere in College Football, it will take significantly more than $2MIL to attract his attention. Right now, he has the luxury of coaching some of the best talent in the Nation, on one side of the ball for what most Schools would offer a first time HC. And get all the credit for it.
"If you want to hire him, now...get your checkbooks out." That's the message resonating throughout College Football and the NFL. If he wanted to move on to the NFL, he would have done it after the 2021 season. As it stands now, he's "been there, done that". There's no intrigue for him in the NFL as there was with Saban and Spurrier. He wouldn't have the luxury of being as creative on the offensive side of the ball, as he plans to be in the next few years.
I believe he is on the verge of unveiling an offense he's been working on for years and nothing is going to interfere with that.
He was UGA's before the raise...he'll be UGA's for years after the raise...and, it won't be his last. Because they have the talent and administrative commitment to make his offense work. He doesn't have to commit a whole lot of footwork to get the players he needs. UGA's brand and first class recruiting staff, will continue to do that for him.
All he has to do...is continue to succeed.
Of course...there is one more angle to this, that one must consider. Maybe...just maybe,
Smart is paying Monkin to teach Mike Bobo his offensive scheme before he moves on. Once he leaves, Bobo will be ready to take over the reins.
That would give UGA, 3 former '90's players and teammates, to take their former team to multiple Championships as coaches. Smart (HC), Muschamp (DC) and Bobo (OC). I don't know if that's ever been done before. It would make for a helluva story. LOL
Not clear? 10> 2 by a lot. Monken was a warm commodity in '19. After '21 he is a hot commodity. Monken has been a HC at the CFB level and OC at the pro level. Coaching, especially at the CFB level, is a job with high turnover and burnout. Coaches maximize their earnings when they can. Monken can. People expected him to leave BEFORE '21. Wouldn't have been a surprise. Why would it be a surprise after this season?
He runs a pro style O with pro experience. Pro OC is a more predictable work environment, with no recruiting and an off season. It is a more family friendly job.
Low blow to Matt Luke? How? I just pointed out that Luke is just following a trend we are seeing over the last coupe years of assistant CFB coaches leaving college for better conditions. Some for time off and some for the NFL. I know FU had a guy go to the Eagles and there were a few other coaches that also left for the pros.
Successful programs lose coordinators. How many has Saban lost? Dan Lanning? Mel Tucker? It would not surprise me to see Muschamp leave after this season.
-- I don't know...There is a pretty big gap between 10 + 2, but I just don't see Monken chasing money. Think about it. He is in one of the MOST, NOT MORE stable situations he has ever been in and his wife loves Athens (per Brandon), which we all know is HUGE when defining happiness. I also believe his last year in the NFL may have burned him a little bit, as Cleveland was the epitome of a dumpster fire. Yes, he will be a white-hot commodity after next year...but his age and experience will temper things quite a bit. In other words, the grass ain't always greener and he knows it. Plus, the 2 million little added incentives definitely help.
As for Coach Luke, I must have misread that comment. It just seems that whenever a coach leaves a team to (really) be with his family, he becomes a bit of a punching bag. My apologies.
Lastly, I agree that successful programs lose coordinators, and that should be a welcome sign. Most coordinators work as though they're trying to be an HC someday. I've seen several good ones at the HS level and it never fails that they go above and beyond. Assistant coaches who don't aspire to move up are generally pretty lazy and are perfectly fine where they are. Usually a coordinator who doesn't project to a HC position has either hit his ceiling or is being super picky (cautious) about what job they want to take--Kirby, Venables, et al. I just don't believe Monken fits either of these.
brvhrt It is great when you love your job but few would work for free. Especially for someone else. Being OC for UGA is a pretty sweet gig. Probably the best OC job in the country when you consider Athens, CKS (demanding but a good person), talent rich GA, etc etc. But the recruiting part will wear you out and burn you out.
Monken has established himself now as someone who will always be recyclable as an NFL or CFB OC regardless of what happens should he take a HC job. Is that where he is after this season? Will it will be his time to climb the ladder or be resigned to being a OC in CFB (good work if you can get it)?
You may be right. He may want to stay. For UGA, Athens or for Manning should he sign. It is human nature to want to "be your own boss" and control your life/team. 2 less accomplished coordinators from Clemson just got salaries of $7M and $4M/yr. That is a lot of money to turn down.
Being a CFB coach, though lucrative, is one of the most time consuming and stressful occupations you can have. The TP and NIL are amp'ing up the negative factors to new levels. If you are going to do it you might as well grab all the cash you can while you can.
I'm thrilled we stepped up and paid Monken a big fat number. Too often we have been too thrift with salaries, and have lost valuable people because of $$.