Top Candidates to Replace Mike Bobo as Georgia Offensive Coordinator

Georgia received some bad news on Monday night when Colorado State nabbed offensive coordinator Mike Bobo from Athens to become the new head coach of the Rams.

Under Bobo's direction, the Bulldogs finished in the top four in the SEC in yards per play four times over the last five seasons and led the conference in 2014 (6.82).

So where do the Bulldogs go from here?

Our top five candidates to replace Bobo as Georgia's offensive coordinator based on familiarity to the Georgia program, style and creativity are in this slideshow.

Georgia RB Coach Bryan McClendon

Jason Getz/Associated Press

Georgia RB coach Bryan McClendon

If Georgia is looking to keep some continuity and keep things in-house, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Bryan McClendon would be a good option for head coach Mark Richt.

McClendon has been in his current position with the Bulldogs since 2009. The former wide receiver for the Bulldogs was at the helm as Georgia running back Todd Gurley set the world on fire in Athens in 2012 and freshman Isaiah Crowell earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2011.

Would he be able to call plays right away? He learned from Bobo—who was one of the best pro-style coordinators out there.

If he isn't ready quite yet, he can always fall back on Richt's expertise as he eases into the role.

Alabama WR Coach Billy Napier

Patrick Collard/Associated Press

Alabama WR coach Billy Napier

If Georgia wants to go outside of Athens to find its next offensive coordinator, Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier would be a solid option.

Napier has been with the Crimson Tide for two seasons after serving as Florida head coach Jim McElwain's quarterbacks coach for Colorado State in 2012. Under Napier's direction, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper set the single-season SEC record with 115 catches and earned a trip to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Georgia could conceivably get into a bidding war with McElwain for Napier's services after Alabama's postseason run comes to a close. If hired, Napier should be able to keep Georgia's offense cooking at the same level Bobo had it.

East Carolina Offensive Coordinator Lincoln Riley

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley

If Georgia wants to spice things up a bit, East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is an option.

Under Riley's direction, the Pirates posted the nation's second-best passing offense in 2014 (367.3 yards per game) and earned a berth in the Birmingham Bowl against Florida.

The 31-year-old Texas Tech alum is a Mike Leach disciple who would bring more of a wide-open approach to the offense. 

Will that play well in Georgia? He might have to tone down his air-raid tendencies considering Georgia's bread and butter is its punishing running game spearheaded by Nick Chubb. He's smart enough to know that, and he could work with head coach Mark Richt to develop a unique approach that's a blend of old and new school.

San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman

It appears that San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh could be on his way out, which means that his offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, could be looking for work.

Roman's offenses finished in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing in each of his first three seasons with the organization, and the offense ranks sixth this season (131.1 yards per game). 

That would play well at Georgia, considering Nick Chubb will be back along with Keith Marshall and Sony Michel. 

The system would not change all that much, and Roman's success at the NFL level would allow Richt to take his "CEO-like" approach from the moment he takes the job.

Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Georgia head coach Mark Richt

If head coach Mark Richt is looking for a new offensive coordinator, maybe he should just hire the man in the mirror.

Richt surrendered the play-calling duties to Bobo following the 2007 season, and nobody knows the personnel, plan or scheme better than Richt himself.

Georgia won two SEC titles with Richt calling plays as head coach, and he could easily develop a situation where he names one coach a "co-offensive coordinator" and the duo combines efforts to lead Georgia's offense.

This also would open up one coaching slot for Richt to hire a coach specifically for special teams coordination instead of having Mike Ekeler and John Lilly split those duties among their other roles as inside linebackers coach and tight ends coach, respectively.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.