Mike Bobo shares plan to get most out of Brock Bowers

Going into the 2023 season, few teams will have as big a weapon at tight end as Georgia with Brock Bowers, if any. New offensive coordinator Mike Bobo just has to figure out the best ways to use him.

Bowers served a dual role last year as a mismatch in the passing game and an occasional runner out of the backfield. Bobo didn’t shed any light on whether he might do more with Bowers or use him differently this fall, but he knows what kind of weapon he has at his disposal.

“No. 1, as a play-caller it’s about players and not plays,” Bobo said. “That’s No. 1. Your job as a play-caller, if a guy’s got a unique ability to make plays and plays that turn into explosives, we’ve got to do a good job as a staff of designing plays that get him touches.”

So Bowers will get his touches.

He absolutely made the most of them a year ago, catching 63 passes for 942 yards and seven touchdowns, while also rushing nine times for 109 yards and three touchdowns.

The ability to take the ball on a handoff or an inside shovel pass really complicates things for defenses. They have to account for an additional ball-carrier from a non-traditional role.

It strains the defense.

Above and beyond just that, though, Bowers is just really, really good. He works constantly to improve his craft.

“As far as getting the best out of Brock Bowers, you’re going to get the best out of Brock Bowers every single day,” Bobo explained. “He is not a guy that needs to be motivated. He’s locked in in every meeting, every walk-through. I’ve had the good fortune of sitting in the tight end meeting room last year. He’s a guy that coach Charlie would mention it one time, he got it. He did not need a lot of reps. He’s extremely smart and he’s very humble.”

Bobo has been at Georgia before, serving as a quarterbacks coach from 2001 to 2006, then as offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2014. He saw quite a few elite players come along in that timeframe.

Bowers reminds him of one of them.

“He reminds me a lot of a guy like Nick Chubb when I was here before, that just went and worked every single day,” Bobo said. “He tried to get better no matter what he had done the day before, the game before, the year before. He was constantly trying to improve his craft.”

Bowers has a lot of the same qualities.

“He’s a joy to coach and glad he’s a Georgia Bulldog,” Bobo said.