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Georgia fake punt a funny point in relationship between Drew and Mike Bobo

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•12/31/24•

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Drew Bobo
Tony Walsh / UGA Sports Communications

NEW ORLEANS — Over the course of a full football season, there are countless plays that changing the result of them could have an impact on how things play out. For Georgia, no play feels more like that though than the SEC Championship Game fake punt.

On 4th and 5 from the UGA 30 with 11:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs lined up to punt. They had appeared to have just gone three-and-out in a tie game with Texas having scored its first touchdown of the game the drive before and getting the ball back with all the momentum. That’s when Kirby Smart and Kirk Benedict decided it was time for something special.

The Georgia head coach and special teams coordinator called a fake punt that had been in the cards for a few seasons. According to Todd Hartley, who helps with special teams as well given his coordinating experience from time at Miami, Smart “has a good feel for when to pull those things out.”

“That’s kind of how those things work is you have a couple of fakes you like that might work with this team or that team and you rep them throughout the years,” Hartley said. “If you do it enough and you feel confident enough that when you need it, you call it and execute it.”

“I got some history of fake punts in that building. It’s one that went our way, and something we’ve worked on, we carry it,” Smart said about the play after the SEC Championship Game. “It’s great design by our staff, Kirk Benedict and Coach Hartley and those guys. They do a lot of work on punt, we have a lot of formations on our punt … We had lost a little momentum at that point. Look, it’s a lot easier to call it when you think you’re gonna be in the playoffs either way.”

Preparation for the situation paid off, and Georgia was able to extend its drive thanks to offensive lineman Drew Bobo, son of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, completing a pop pass to Arian Smith, who ran it 9 yards to move the chains.

“When they called it, I was just more surprised than anything in that moment. It was a great call, but when he called it, I was like, ‘No way,'” Drew Bobo said.

“I remember, my teammates asked me, was I nervous to get the fake punt when they called it? No, because it’s just like offense, it’s just like a different formation or different moment or situation in the game. It’s not offense, it’s a punt, but it’s still offense to me,” Arian Smith added. “I gotta get the ball and go get the first (down). Coach said, make sure I get the first, don’t worry about nothing else. Don’t do too much, make sure I pick the ball and get the first. And that’s what I did.”

Bobo, who stands at 6-foot-5, 305 pounds, said he used to want to play quarterback like his dad, but because of his size, he was always put on the offensive line. A couple of snaps in elementary school was the extent of his passing experience, but by completing to Smith, he’s officially got a 100% completion percentage. Smart and several other coaches give his dad a hard time. Drew hasn’t quite gotten there yet, but his dad sure was glad it went well.

“It’s funny, the fake punt, I was upset that we’re punting again and looking down at my sheet, what we’re going to do next. And I didn’t even realize the coach had said, ‘Hey, we’re going to fake the punt.’ I really didn’t even know Drew was the one that tossed it to him,” Mike said.

“It wasn’t until after the game that somebody said, ‘Oh, your son with that pass.’ I really didn’t know what they were talking about. So it was cool to find out that,” he added. “… Glad he executed and didn’t screw it up. Then we’d have two Bobos everybody could yell at (laughs).”

Of course the father-son relationship between the Bobos is bigger than one play, and it’s been an enjoyable experience for the two to share time together in Athens. Drew enrolled at Georgia in 2022 when Mike was on staff as an analyst. Mike was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023 and is in his second season in that role. Meanwhile, Drew took a redshirt season his first year on campus and has appeared in 19 career contests including a couple of starts at center this season.

“I like it,” Drew said about his dad being on the coaching staff. “He can help me out with stuff. He can be hard on me and make me a better player and tell me the truth about what I need to work on.”

“After the Auburn game, anytime you beat Auburn, whether it’s home or away, it’s huge, and that locker room, to share that moment with him was special,” Mike added. “Then have a start the next week against Mississippi State, you know, I really didn’t share with him until after each game when I watched the film, but proud of him and proud of how he works hard. He’s a total team player.”

Georgia would go on to kick a field goal later in the drive. It put the Bulldogs up 16-13 at the time, enough points to eventually get them into overtime where they would win 22-19, securing a spot in the Sugar Bowl as a result. But if it wasn’t for that Bobo to Smith connection, who knows where UGA would be.

“The guys did a great job of getting that executed,” Hartley said. “It was a good call by Coach Benedict and Coach Smart at the right time, and that’s usually when you need those things the most.”

“When I did it, the whole time I went crazy. The stadium was rocking and I knew we had momentum again,” Smith added about the play. “I did my job on that.”

Georgia takes on Notre Dame at 8:45 p.m. ET on ESPN New Year’s Day. The Sugar Bowl matchup in The Big Easy is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal and for a spot in Miami to play the winner of Penn State and Boise State January 9th.

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