Kirby Smart has proven that he does not always harken back to familiarity when it comes to hiring assistant coaches.
However, sometimes, it’s a no-brainer.
This was true with Bryan McClendon, who Smart brought in as the replacement for wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton with the latter accepted a job at LSU.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bryan and the job he’s done,” Smart said. “I’ve always respected him on the road recruiting. I had a lot of years at Alabama that I recruited against him in the state of Georgia, coached him as a player here, in terms of the way he carried himself as a special teams player. He’s a leader.”
McClendon’s new players are learning he definitely has his own style.
“Coach McClendon is very demanding. He’s going to let you know what he wants you to do and how he wants you to do it, so he’s been awesome,” Ladd McConkey said. “He’s taught us so much in the short time he’s been here, so I’m grateful that we were able to get him. He’s been an awesome pickup.”
McClendon is obviously no stranger to Athens.
The former Bulldog wide receiver served as a graduate assistant at UGA in 2007-08 and was named to the full-time staff as running backs coach in 2009, a position he held until 2015. McClendon was named interim head coach at UGA at the end of the 2015 season and led the Bulldogs to a 24-17 victory over Penn State in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Since then, McClendon has held assistant coaching positions at South Carolina (2016-19, offensive coordinator and wide receivers) and Oregon (2020-21, passing game coordinator, wide receivers, interim head coach for 2021 Valero Alamo Bowl). He had accepted the positions of co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Miami earlier this year but left when his alma mater offered him his current position.
“Working with Coach B-Mac has been fun so far. I’ve known Coach B-Mac since recruiting. He’s always been a high-energy guy but means business at the same time,” Kearis Jackson said. “So far, I’m enjoying the ride.”
Someone else who is enjoying McClendon’s presence is right tackle Warren McClendon, his cousin.
The Bulldog junior smiled when asked what it was like having his cousin back on the staff.
“It’s good seeing him around,” Warren McClendon said. “My eighth-grade year, which was probably my first visit here. He was the coach and then he left, so having him back is awesome.”
Unlike Jackson, junior wideout Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint did not have a relationship with McClendon before he arrived.
He was never recruited by him. But now that he’s his coach, Rosemy-Jacksaint said it has not taken long for McClendon to make an impression.
“He’s very instructive, he’s to the point and very clear about everything. He’s very direct. He’s all about work he’s going to make us work,” he said. “He’s a real cool guy. I like his vibe and energy he brings to the room.”
McClendon’s recruiting chops are another reason Smart wanted him on board.
He’s making an impact there, too. McClendon has Georgia in the hunt for some talented 2023 receivers that include a trio of Florida speedsters - Bryson Rodgers (36 offers, including Alabama and Florida), four-star Hykeem Williams (No. 36 player overall) and Aiden Mizell (No. 91 overall).
McClendon is one of four new assistant coaches hired by Smart since the first of the year, joining offensive line coach Stacy Searels, secondary coach Fran Brown and outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
“What I like about all of them are their enthusiastic and good leaders. I want their players to take on the personality of the coaches. There have certainly been great energy out of those coaches,” Smart said. “We have to get a little more energy out of our players when things get tough at practice. But, that’s the responsibility of the coaches. I’m very proud and pleased with what those guys have done.”
