After UGA went more than a year without a recruiting coordinator, Bulldogs coach Mark Richt appointed Bryan McClendon to the football position last week.
McClendon, 30, is the son of former UGA running back Willie McClendon and played wide receiver for the Bulldogs from 2002-2005. The younger McClendon has been a UGA assistant (in charge of running backs) since 2009 and will remain in that position, along with taking on his new duties.
UGA had been without a Recruiting Coordinator since December 2012, when Rodney Garner was hired way by Auburn.
In an interview with the AJC, Mark Richt explained his reasons for filling the spot:
“I just think after the new staff member came in, I thought long and hard about how we could realign a lot of things – special teams and how could best improve in that area. And also I felt like it was time to name a Recruiting Coordinator from somebody on the staff
“I think when one of the soldiers is the recruiting coordinator and kind of the voice to the other coaches, I think it’s healthy and it’s good. I think Daryl, his group and everybody on the staff has done a great job. But I think it’s nice to hear from a guy who has been out of the field, pounding the pavement, and understanding what it takes.
“So when there’s some things we need to be doing as a staff on a daily basis, weekly basis or yearly basis, it comes better from a guy within the ranks. Of course, Bryan is a very successful recruiter, too. And he obviously has passion for it.
“He is energizing us. I think immediately everybody has felt an impact in a positive way.”
The rest of UGA's recruiting staff remains the same: Daryl Jones is the Director of On-Campus Recruiting, while Ben Brandenburg is a top recruiting assistant. Connie Connelly serves as Recruiting Program Coordinator.
The job duties of Recruiting Coordinator have changed radically over the last few years, as recruiting has intensified and turned into an around-the-clock effort. Even though McClendon has the title, he will helped by staff.
What are Richt’s expectations for McClendon in the new role?
“The good thing is that (McClendon) has the infrastructure that we have in Daryl, Connie and Ben, and all the people that do so many things with administration and organization with things like on-campus visits. A lot of the details have to be hashed out. The guy who is heading it up, if he has to be in every single one of those little meetings, and we still expect him to go on the road and recruit, and we still expect him to coach his position, and we still expect him to be a father and husband – it’s too much, you know.
“We have got a better infrastructure that allows Brian to focus on the things that he does best – and that’s recruit, and help other guys understand what it takes to recruit well.”
UGA has five commitments for its 2015 recruiting class.
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