From Last Word on College Football, Jake Mitchell
After two weeks, Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is continuing to find his rhythm as the Tigers’ full-time play caller. He was handed the responsibility before the LSU game, and their newfound stability on offense has led to two straight wins.
Rhett Lashlee has coached under Gus Malzahn for a long time, but has only recently taken the reigns as the true offensive coordinator. It is a move that has been a positive one so far, but will continue to be tested even more as a tough stretch of SEC match-ups is upcoming.
Who is Rhett Lashlee?
Rhett Lashlee has been with Gus Malzahn since high school, as Lashlee was the quarterback under Malzahn at Shiloh Christian School in Springdale, Arkansas. Lashlee played for Arkansas in college, as a backup to Matt Jones, from 2002–2004 for the Razorbacks. It was a shoulder injury that ended his playing career early.
For his entire coaching career, outside of one season at Samford, Lashlee has coached on the staff under Gus Malzahn. His first coaching venture came as a graduate assistant in 2006 for Arkansas. He then returned to coaching in 2009, again as a GA under Malzahn. Lashlee was there for two seasons, including Auburn’s 2010 national championship run.
In 2011, Lashlee took the offensive coordinator job at under head coach, and former Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan. He spent one season with the Bulldogs before taking the same job at Arkansas State, where he reunited with Malzahn for his first season as a head coach. The duo spent one year in Jonesboro before moving to Auburn in the 2013 season.
Success When Given a Chance
While Lashlee has had the title of offensive coordinator for the last four seasons, it is Malzahn who has been the primary play caller. Lashlee’s duties have been focused on coaching the quarterbacks specifically and being more of an offensive assistant than a coordinator.
Malzahn said he had been leaning toward giving Rhett Lashlee play calling duty for a while. “I’m going to be the head coach.”
— Josh Vitale (@AUBlog) September 25, 2016
As the stress and pressure of being a head coach in the SEC has mounted, Malzahn has given his apprentice full control of the Tigers’ once-potent offensive attack. Despite never having been the permanent play caller, Lashlee has been allowed to take over on spot duty.
In 2015, Malzahn relinquished the play calling duties for Auburn’s trip to College Station for a match-up with SEC West foe Texas A&M. Lashlee led Jeremy Johnson to the best game of his career. Johnson finished 13 of 17 for 132 yards and a touchdown. He did not again have success until the Birmingham Bowl victory over Memphis later that season. This was also Lashlee’s next chance to call plays against a formidable opponent.
Malzahn finally elected to give Lashlee full play calling duties this season, prior to the LSU game in week three. In that game, quarterback Sean White finished 19 of 26 for 234 yards, and had to touchdowns dropped in the end zone. If not for two Tony Stevens drops, the Tigers would have silenced questions about their red zone woes through the first three weeks of the seasons.
In the second game with Lashlee at the helm, the Tigers rushed for 410 yards and five touchdowns, along with over 260 passing yards and three scores through the air. While this performance came against Louisiana Monroe, it was still an encouraging showing in which the offense did not miss a beat.
A New Attitude
In the time since Malzahn gave up the play calling duties, the Tigers have seen a shift in the mentality of their team. Malzahn said it was simply not “realistic,” for him to juggle the responsibilities of being an SEC head coach and still complete the necessary game planning to call plays at the optimal level.
Auburn’s Gus Malzahn said turning over the play calling to Rhett Lashlee was ‘100 percent’ the right thing to do.
— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) September 27, 2016
Defensive back Jonathan Ford has even noticed a shift in Malzahn’s mindset. In the week leading up to the LSU game, he said that, “He (Malzahn) just let us have more fun, came in energized…told some jokes…played music…he just had us all relaxed and let us go play ball.”
If the last two weeks are any sign, the entire Auburn program has benefitted, and will continue to improve, due to Malzahn’s move to hand the full-time play calling duties top Rhett Lashlee.
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