Who would you want as OC?

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RHETT LASHLEE

Position:
Offensive Coordinator
Group:
Quarterbacks


Follow Coach Lashlee

Second-year Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who helped the Tigers to a 2013 SEC Championship and a BCS Championship berth last season, helped spearhead one of the most prolific offenses in Auburn history in 2013. For the last two seasons, he has been a finalist for the Broyles Award, presented to the nation's top assistant coach.

In 2013, Auburn had the second biggest turnaround in college football history in NCAA records at +8.0 games.

Without starting quarterback Nick Marshall going through spring workouts, Lashlee coached the junior college transfer who played defensive back as a freshman at Georgia to 3,044 yards of total offense (1976 passing, 1068 rushing) while throwing for 14 touchdowns and rushing for 12 TDs.

Auburn led the nation rushing for 328.3 yards per game, was ranked 11th in total offense with 501.3 yards per game, 12th in scoring offense with 39.5 points per game, 13th with 334 first downs and 21st in red zone offense efficiency (54-of-61, .885).

The Tigers set a school record with 48 rushing touchdowns on the season, set a school record against SEC opponents with 677 yards of total offense vs. No. 5 Missouri in the SEC Championship Game.

The Tigers set SEC Championship Game team records for rushing 26 first downs, 74 rushing attempts, 545 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Junior Tre Mason, a Heisman Trophy finalist and SEC Player of the Year, ranked third in the nation with 23 touchdowns, sixth nationally with 1,816 yards rushing, sixth with 10.7 points per game, sixth with 169.57 all-purpose yards per game and eighth with 129.7 rushing yards per game.

Mason set Auburn single-season records with 2,374 all-purpose yards, and 1,816 rushing yards and was second with 317 rushing attempts. His 46 rushing attempts and 304 rushing yards vs. No. 5 Missouri set SEC Championship Game records and was three yards shy of the Auburn record. Mason is the fifth 1,000-yard rusher he has coached since 2007 and the second Heisman finalist.

Three offensive players were selected in the 2014 NFL Draft, tackle Greg Robinson No. 2 overall by the St. Louis Rams, Mason in the third round by the Rams and fullback Jay Prosch in the sixth round by the Houston Texans.

Wide receiver Sammie Coates ranked third nationally with 21.48 yards per reception, 42 catches for 902 yards and seven touchdowns.

Trailing by one, sophomore Ricardo Louis' miracle 73-yard touchdown reception from Nick Marshall with 25 seconds remaining was deflected by a Bulldog defender and gave the Tigers a 43-38 victory over No. 25 Georgia. What could have been the play of the year, was supplanted a week later by Chris Davis' remarkable 109-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown with time expired in the 34-28 win over No. 1 Alabama, giving the Tigers the Western Division Championship.

Lashlee has spent seven of the last 10 seasons working closely with head coach Gus Malzahn and his innovative offense in a variety of capacities. Lashlee also coaches the Auburn quarterbacks.

During the 2012 season as offensive coordinator at Arkansas State, Lashlee, a Broyles Award nominee as the nation's top assistant coach, helped guide ASU to a Sun Belt Championship while ranking 17th nationally in total offense (481.8 ypg), 21st in scoring offense (36.4 ppg) and rushing offense (217.4 ypg).

Under Lashlee, school and conference record-setting quarterback Ryan Aplin was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year, leading the league in passing yards, passing efficiency and total offense.

Prior to his tenure at Arkansas State, Lashlee served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Samford in 2011, where he installed a high-tempo offense that improved the Bulldogs' national ranking in total offense from No. 57 in the nation to No. 36 over the course of just one year, while helping the Bulldogs average 28 points per game compared to 17 a game the previous year.

He helped Samford post a 6-5 record, including a 4-4 Southern Conference mark in 2011, matching its best ever as a member of the league. Samford broke the school record for points scored in a league game with 52 against Western Carolina as Lashlee helped the school jump from No. 100 in the nation in scoring offense to No. 43. He coached Samford wide receiver Kelsey Pope, who broke the school record for receptions in a game, while quarterback Dustin Taliaferro broke Samford's career record for completions.

While at Auburn as an offensive graduate assistant during the 2009-10 seasons, Lashlee assisted Malzahn with all aspects of the offense and coached the slot receivers in 2010. In 2009, the Tigers finished 8-5 winning the Outback Bowl. During the 2010 season he helped the Tigers finish 14-0, winning the Southeastern Conference Championship and the BCS National Championship behind Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton.

Lashlee's college coaching career began in 2006 at Arkansas, where he served as offensive graduate assistant while working with Malzahn, helping the Razorbacks to a 10-4 record and an SEC Western Division Championship behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden and fellow All-American Felix Jones. Lashlee worked with Malzahn at Springdale High School in Arkansas in 2004 and 2005, working with the quarterbacks and 2005 Gatorade, Parade Magazine and Rivals.com National Player of the Year Mitch Mustain.

A backup quarterback at the University of Arkansas from 2002-04, when his career was cut short due to a shoulder injury, Lashlee graduated from Shiloh Christian High School in Springdale, Ark., in 2002. He played quarterback for Malzahn (1999-2000) and Chris Wood (2001) at Shiloh Christian, posting a state-record 40 career wins (40-3-2 as a starter) while leading his team to three straight state championship game appearances that included two state titles. He was also named the 2001 AP Arkansas Player of the Year.

Lashlee owns virtually every state passing record and when his career had finished, he had broken the national record for career touchdown passes (171), career touchdowns (200), most passing yards in a game (672) and was second with 13,201 passing yards.

http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rhett_lashlee_710543.html

I know who he is. That was just my shocked face when you said you wanted him, because you've been talking about Auburn for a couple days straight. lol. I'll bet when you went out for dinner last night, you ordered Auburn with a side of Auburn and a diet Auburn. Just bustin' your balls was all.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I have dreamed before of combining the offensive genius of Mad Mike with the defensive wizardry of Greg Williams. Of course, The Fisher King would have curb Mike's penchant for exposing his QB'S with empty backfields and excessive passing to the detriment of the rushing game, but what a wild ride that would be, and how terrifying for NFL opponents?

This is a misconception. All of Martz's plays were designed to be runs or passes both. The D dictated which one the QB selected. I think a big part of the heavy pass selection was on the QB's wanting the pass plays because of the high percentage of success they were having with passing plays.

Or maybe Martz told them to lean towards the pass first, but still the run option was always there on every play.

 

[Alan]

Elmgrovegnome blaming Rodgers:
That game was on Rodgers. He had every opportunity to cut back on the passing game that was not working. But he didn't because of the reason it wasn't working....drops.

That's why I said apparently. So you're saying he kept changing the calls the OC was making? Even knowing that the Bills couldn't stop their running game?

How does that saying go, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

If you're correct that Rodger's stubbornness is to blame then...forget what I said and I'll still take Rodgers on my team.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Considering Fisher's statements that we need to be able to run the ball when they know it's coming tells me that he doesn't hold the coach responsible for shortcomings because power football doesn't vary much from coach to coach personnel and emphasis in practice are what I'd say he intends to change.

When did he say that? I missed that part. I have been saying that back to when SJ was on the team. When it is 3rd and 2, with a back like Jackson the Rams should be able to convert! I wonder how he figures to accomplish that with the current assemblage of Offensive linemen that he has on the team. Has he been thinking all along that Scott Wells and Davin Joseph are going to make that happen?

Is this a ray of hope? Is he actually going to build a real power running offensive line to make his mythical power run scheme work? Please let it be!

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

That's why I said apparently. So you're saying he kept changing the calls the OC was making? Even knowing that the Bills couldn't stop their running game?

How does that saying go, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

If you're correct that Rodger's stubbornness is to blame then...forget what I said and I'll still take Rodgers on my team.

Rodgers has control of the offense. If he wants to make changes on the line he can. But he was very close on several plays to getting TDs throwing the ball and maybe he felt that the threat of that alone was what was keeping the D honest and not playing the run only.

 

[Alan]

Elmgrovegnome with this:
Rodgers has control of the offense. If he wants to make changes on the line he can. But he was very close on several plays to getting TDs throwing the ball and maybe he felt that the threat of that alone was what was keeping the D honest and not playing the run only.

I know squat about his ability to call his own game so I'll defer to your greater knowledge about that. My point about an OC needing to adjust to the situation remains the same though.

 

[wrstdude]

Rhett Lashlee, Auburn

Beat me to it. Malzahn is my first choice but there's no way he leaves for an OC job.

 

[wrstdude]

173 YPG passing? No thanks, that only works in college. Even in college most teams are pass-oriented now. The wishbone and it's ilk are dead thank Buddha. Aren't we now going through GR growing pains for that very reason?

Seahawks (202 YPG) and 9ers (186 YPG) weren't averaging much more than that the past few seasons and you'd have a tough time convincing most people that they haven't been successful.

This would be the system your starting RB & LT came from. I think this would not only ease growing pains, but eliminate them. You want to see Tavon used creatively? This would be the offense for that. This isn't the wishbone or it's relative. If you think Chip Kelly's offense has a future then so does this one.

 

[Boffo97]

This is a misconception. All of Martz's plays were designed to be runs or passes both. The D dictated which one the QB selected. I think a big part of the heavy pass selection was on the QB's wanting the pass plays because of the high percentage of success they were having with passing plays.

Or maybe Martz told them to lean towards the pass first, but still the run option was always there on every play.

Huh, I'd never heard that about the QB selecting rather it would be a run or a pass. I'm guessing the pass heaviness then was the QB tending to want to select pass more than run.

After all, winners always want the ball when the game is on the line...

 

[Alan]

wrstdudethinking you should aspire to mediocrity:
Seahawks (202 YPG) and 9ers (186 YPG) weren't averaging much more than that the past few seasons and you'd have a tough time convincing most people that they haven't been successful.

Do you think those figures were achieved on purpose? I think those two teams (and the 2003? Ravens) were/are successful despite their pitiful offenses. Those top 5 defenses don't hurt your success rates do they?

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Maybe Nick Crozier of the Miami sharks? He got the most out of Willie Beaman

 

[DaveFan'51]

Just to throw a name out their. What IF we tried to get Norv Turner!?!

 

[den-the-coach]

Personally, Marc Trestman is at the top of my list. But I think he'll go back to being a Head Coach in the CFL.

No he won't, he be the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers after they promote Jim Tomsula to Head Coach!

And BTW Todd Bowles will be the next Head Coach of the Chicago Bears.

 

[den-the-coach]

As much as I agree with Memphis I doubt Fisher goes in that direction and I don't think Schottenheimer will be gone, but if that happens Rod Chudzinski would be my choice.

 

[Win1-4Ned]

I have dreamed before of combining the offensive genius of Mad Mike with the defensive wizardry of Greg Williams. Of course, The Fisher King would have curb Mike's penchant for exposing his QB'S with empty backfields and excessive passing to the detriment of the rushing game, but what a wild ride that would be, and how terrifying for NFL opponents?

Isn't this one of the complaints of Schottenheimer now? It may not be to the point of exposing the QB to season-ending hits, but several times when we've been at the goal-line or in short down and distance situations, we've set up without anyone in the backfield, and this season we've ignored our running game for big chunks of time in close contests, even though we've been playing with Davis and Hill. I guess I'm saying that I agree with Memphis that Schotty has a reputation as being a run first OC, but at least this season, he has deviated far from that.

 

[-X-]

Isn't this one of the complaints of Schottenheimer now? It may not be to the point of exposing the QB to season-ending hits, but several times when we've been at the goal-line or in short down and distance situations, we've set up without anyone in the backfield, and this season we've ignored our running game for big chunks of time in close contests, even though we've been playing with Davis and Hill. I guess I'm saying that I agree with Memphis that Schotty has a reputation as being a run first OC, but at least this season, he has deviated far from that.

He was probably spoiled by Bradford last year.

 

[LosAngelesRams]

Obviously, me. I'm one of the best arm chair offensive coordinators there is. I won the super bowl on all Madden with Austin Davis, My offense was ranked 5th overall. I'm clearly the best candidate for the job.

 

[RamWoodie]

Give me Mike Sherman:

The guy is a WC offense genius and very good with QBs. Miami let him go. I'm not sure how close Jeff Fisher has been with him, but he would be great for the offensive players the Rams have!

 

[ChrisW]

Maybe Nick Crozier of the Miami sharks? He got the most out of Willie Beaman

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Hopefully he can fix Tay Awesome.

 

[-X-]

Give me Mike Sherman:

The guy is a WC offense genius and very good with QBs. Miami let him go. I'm not sure how close Jeff Fisher has been with him, but he would be great for the offensive players the Rams have!

I like Sherman too, but most of his success came as a head coach in GB with Tom Rossley as the OC.