Vroom! Vroom! Miami announces the hiring of a new, aggressive offensive coordinator
The Miami Hurricanes are officially on the fast track.
The University of Miami football program announced Saturday afternoon that it has hired up-tempo, spread master Rhett Lashlee, 36, as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Lashlee spent the past two seasons in the same capacity for Southern Methodist University, where the Mustangs just went 10-3, with an offense that ranks No. 7 of 130 FBS teams in scoring (41.8 points a game), No. 13 in passing offense (309 yards a game), No. 9 in total offense (489.8 yards a game) and No. 12 in first downs gained (322).
The completion of the hiring process will come after a “standard University background check,’’ UM wrote in a release.
The hiring came a week and a day after the Hurricanes announced they had fired former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dan Enos after a dreadful showing in the Independence Bowl — and a day after the Miami Herald reported first that Lashlee would be hired.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rhett and his family to the UM family,” UM coach Manny Diaz said in the released announcement. “Rhett has directed some of the most innovative offenses in college football in recent years — offenses that attack quickly, creatively and efficiently. We are excited to see how Rhett will look to spread the ball around and utilize our athletes on the offensive side of the ball.”
UM, which finished 6-7 in 2019, capped by a 14-0 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl, had a horrendous season offensively. The Canes offense ranks 98th nationally (367.2 yards a game), 90th in scoring (25.7), 52nd in passing offense (249.2), 121st in rushing (118.1) and 129th in third-down conversion percentage.
Diaz said last week that he would switch to a fast-paced, spread offense. “We’re going to start to spread the ball out and get the ball to our athletes in space and do something here that hasn’t been done and people have not seen,’’ the coach said.
This past season, Lashlee’s plays-per-game average of 80.9 was substantially more than UM’s 64.9.
UM’s quarterback situation the last three games of the season went into a tailspin after a fourth-quarter comeback rally at Pittsburgh by Jarren Williams was followed by two gems by Williams against Florida State and Louisville.
Williams went from being a hero and record-breaker to struggling in losses to FIU, Duke and in the bowl game. Backup N’Kosi Perry also struggled mightily, and Ohio State transfer Tate Martell, known as a spread quarterback with strong running ability, only played the position in one series this season at the Independence Bowl.
The Canes have four-star freshman prospect Tyler Van Dyke joining the team in January, and also have a scholarship quarterback in soon-to-be redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha.
Lashlee has twice been a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistant coach.
Before his stint at SMU, Lashlee was an offensive coordinator at UConn (2017), Auburn (2013-2016), Arkansas State (2012) and Samford (2011).
At UConn, the Huskies under Lashlee went from 122nd in total offense to 49th, and from 94th to 34th in passing offense.
Lashlee, the father of twin sons and twin daughters, graduated from Arkansas in 2006 with a degree in marketing and business administration. He received his master’s degree in higher education from Auburn in 2009.
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 3:01 PM.
