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Tyson Helton: Right fit for Georgia Bulldogs new OC?

By John Buhler

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Tyson Helton has been one of the names circulating around potentially becoming the next offensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs? Is he the right fit for Coach Smart?

With the Georgia Bulldogs hiring a defensive-minded head coach in Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, it is crucially important that Smart has to find the right man to lead his offense on Fall Saturdays.

There have been a few names that have circulated around who could become the next offensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs. One interesting name is Western Kentucky offensive coordinator Tyson Helton.

Helton’s offense at WKU is a high-powered one, as the Hilltoppers won the Conference USA Championship over Southern Miss on Saturday. The Hilltoppers with quarterback Brandon Doughty are great at airing the ball out and are traditionally more spread than what we typically see in the SEC.

However if Western Kentucky, who wasn’t in Division I a decade ago, can become one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football, Tyson Helton is an offensive mind Smart may want to consider hiring as his offensive coordinator.

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Helton became the offensive coordinator for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in 2014 after serving as the Cincinnati Bearcats tight ends coach in 2013. Before that, Helton was the UAB Blazers from 2007 to 2012 as the quarterbacks and later running backs coach. He is the son of a college coach Kim Helton and his brother Clay Helton just became the full-time head coach of the USC Trojans. Does that present a problem for Kirby Smart to ask about Tyson Helton?

Not exactly. USC has been an improved team this year during Clay Helton‘s interim head coaching season, as they favored the run over the pass. USC quarterback Cody Kessler was in the running for a Heisman Trophy earlier this season, but the Trojans may have more of a future as a run first team. Plus, hiring your own brother in your first head coaching gig may not stand as a wise move for Clay Helton in 2016, especially at a blue blood like USC.

Georgia fans are asking themselves what type of offensive coordinator could Kirby Smart land that could keep incoming 5-Star quarterback recruit Jacob Eason’s commitment with Georgia. The Mark Richt/Brian Schottenheimer had Eason rock solid on UGA until Richt’s firing. Now it’s done to UGA and arch rival Florida for Eason’s commitment, though I do think he sticks with his UGA commitment.

Tyson Helton’s offense is more spread that what Georgia ran in Mark Richt‘s pro style offense, but going spread more often could mean more opportunities for Jacob Eason to show off his rocket arm as the nation’s No. 2 overall quarterback prospect.

While I do expect the Georgia Bulldogs’ offense to still use the run as well as the pass, I feel like signing Tyson Helton as offensive coordinator could stand as a nice next progression for both Helton and the Georgia Bulldogs. Helton is 39 years old and a father of four. The Georgia Bulldogs football culture is that of family and that could entice Helton to Commit to the G over his brother’s school in Southern California.

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Of the names I’ve heard that the Georgia Bulldogs may potentially be after for their next offensive coordinator, Tyson Helton’s would seem to satisfy the needs of bringing in strong quarterback play to a league in dire need of it.

Smart is reportedly going very methodical with assembling his coaching staff, putting a major emphasis on recruitment before the upcoming dead period. Odds are that Jacob Eason at least knows the short list of who Kirby Smart wishes to hire as his offensive coordinator. Of all the names that have circulated, I at this moment think that bringing Tyson Helton from Bowling Green, Kentucky to Athens, Georgia makes the most sense.

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