Georgia Assistant Gaining Steam in Pitt OC Search

Pitt announced Frank Cignetti Jr. would not return as its offensive coordinator just under a week ago, setting the stage for a completely revamped offense in 2024, and Pat Narduzzi has been busy interviewing potential candidates all week.

There have been a number of candidates from around the college football landscape who have had their names linked to the Pitt opening, and a name may be rising toward the top of the list.

Georgia wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Bryan McClendon is picking up steam as a candidate for the opening.

McClendon is in his second stint at Georgia, serving as the wide receivers coach and passing coordinator for the Bulldogs over the past two seasons, which is also where he played college ball.

He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2007, working his way onto the staff as the running backs coach before being reassigned as the wide receivers job. He served as the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator, in addition to his wide receivers duties, in the 2015 season — even coaching the TaxSlayer Bowl as the interim head coach.

McClendon has served as an offensive coordinator at one stop along his coaching career, calling plays for South Carolina in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 season was a success, averaging 30.1 points per game and racking up 426.2 yards per game with Jake Bentley under center — in the best season of his lengthy college career.

The 2019 season wasn’t nearly as successful as the Gamecocks as injuries and inconsistent play led to McClendon being demoted as the offensive coordinator — but retaining his wide receivers coach role — at the conclusion of the 2019 season.

He did not stay at South Carolina though, instead taking a position on Mario Cristobal’s staff at Oregon as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He spent two seasons with the Ducks, once again serving as the interim coach in a bowl game as Cristobal left for Miami. McClendon was hired by Cristobal at Miami, set to serve as the co-offensive coordinator, but never coached a game at Miami after he swapped back to Georgia instead.

McClendon hasn’t had a ton of success at the coordinator level, only two seasons calling plays under his belt, but the 2018 season at South Carolina was successful. And it’s clear McClendon is the type of coach who has built strong bonds with his players at every stop. And he’s an ace recruiter — serving as the primary recruiter for the likes of Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Todd Gurley and many others.

It remains to be seen how quickly Narduzzi will fill Cignetti’s vacancy, but with the transfer portal opening on Dec. 4, it would be in everyone’s best interest to have the process wrapped up sooner than later. There will be important decisions to make in the transfer portal, and there probably is a reason that no offensive player has entered the portal to this point.

The Pitt coaching staff hit the road Friday morning to check in on the class of 2024, and Georgia is in the midst of prep for Saturday’s SEC championship game against Alabama, for reference, so it could be a busy week once again for Pitt football.