The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Georgia Bulldogs wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Bryan McClendon to be their wide receivers coach. McClendon’s departure for the NFL is part of a growing trend of college coaches heading to the NFL. Most college coaches are looking for the improved work-life balance that the NFL has to offer.
McClendon, who played college football at Georgia from 2002-2005, served as Georgia’s wide receivers coach from 2022-2024. He previously coached receivers at Oregon (2020-2021) and South Carolina (2016-2019).
McClendon began his coaching career at Georgia in 2007. He coached running backs for Georgia from 2009-2015. He was Georgia’s interim head coach in the TaxSlayer Bowl at the end of the 2015 season.
Head coach Kirby Smart and Georgia football are now looking for a new wide receivers coach. The Bulldogs could target a former player, like Hines Ward, or a coach from another college program.
How did Georgia football fans respond after Bryan McClendon’s departure to the NFL?
Georgia WR Anthony Evans reacts
💔
— ⚡️⚡️Anthony (AE3)Evans III⚡️⚡️ (@AnthonyEvansIII) February 17, 2024
Four-star Georgia WR signee reacts
🤦
— Nitro Tuggle (@nitrotuggle333) February 17, 2024
Ladd McConkey on what it would be like to play for McClendon in the NFL
Ladd McConkey is being honored with the Wuerffel Trophy tonight at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Asked him about what the NFL is getting in Bryan McClendon, and what it would be like to play for him at the next level. pic.twitter.com/ISUwQ5ljQo
— Sudu (@sudu_tv) February 17, 2024
Nice to see McClendon get an opportunity at the next level
Hell yeah Bmac congrats definitely deserved.
— UGA United (@UGAUnited) February 17, 2024
Adam Schefter reported the news
Another college defection: Buccaneers hired Georgia’s well-regarded wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator Bryan McClendon as their wide receivers coach, per source. https://t.co/rtwqARXHjE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 17, 2024
Former UGA WR Hines Ward a potential target
All eyes on Hines Ward?
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) February 17, 2024
List of potential options for Georgia
UGA WR Coach Hot Board
Dameyune Craig
Joe Cox
Jimmy Smith
Holmon Wiggins
Chansi Stuckey
Hines Ward pic.twitter.com/fip9QcBK2u— 704 Dawg (@FSFRecruits) February 17, 2024
Hines Ward would love to return to Georgia
@KirbySmartUGA if BMac is gone to the NFL, would there be a Coach @mvp86hinesward coming home to help snag the top tier receivers in the nation?? #dawgnation #GoDawgs https://t.co/CLNJ0tYTCY
— AP (@ecapolegna30) February 18, 2024
Hines Ward would be a big-name hire
My timeline tells me the only reasonable hire is Hines Ward…
Which means it prolly won’t be Hines Ward
— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) February 17, 2024
Some fans don't think McClendon's departure is a big loss
Definitely not bummed about the Bryan McClendon departure. I thought he would've recruited better when he was here. He did pretty well under Richt and I thought with the state of the program now he would add some 5-stars. We didn't any in 2024 and he wasn't about to in 2025
— Josh Simmons⚫🔴🏆 (@JoshSimmons33) February 18, 2024
Others think it is a significant loss
Huge loss for Georgia
Receiver play has been outstanding with him at the helm. UGA players love him too https://t.co/6rLsAq8PLI
— J.C. Shelton (@JCShelton_) February 17, 2024
McClendon was a key recruiter for Georgia
Georgia receivers coach Bryan McClendon has taken a job as the WR Coach and Passing Game Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Bucs
Kirby Smart will have a big hire to make, one that could have a major plus value impact on Georgia’s WR recruiting. This will be interesting.
— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) February 17, 2024
More fans want Hines Ward
Now that BMac has gotten a job in the pros, it’s time for Kirby to make that move!! Bring him home!! pic.twitter.com/cdPRBtEWw4
— We Are Dawgnation!🐶🔴⚫️ 🏆🏆🏆🏆 (@We_R_Dawgnation) February 17, 2024
Ward has some recent coaching experience in the NFL, XFL
Hines Ward season? Doooooo iiiiittt Kirby! pic.twitter.com/3qivlZSpUA
— 🚫 LEE Ring (@HBTFD1) February 17, 2024
Thanks, Bryan McClendon
Thanks for everything #16 Bryan McClendon always a Dawg! #GoDawgs
— Dawgfann10 (@joemoore10) February 17, 2024
List of potential WR coach candidates
Georgia's Brandon Streeter (previously worked at Clemson), Ole Miss' Joe Cox, Hines Ward, Arkansas' Jimmy Smith, Terrence Edwards and more are potential candidates to be the new UGA WR coach
— UGA Wire (@UGAWire) February 18, 2024
We've seen this happen a few times recently
Don't be shocked if Georgia hires a current CFB head coach to be its WR coach — we have seen HCs take positional coach/coordinator jobs much more than usual recently thanks to the current CFB environment
— UGA Wire (@UGAWire) February 18, 2024
