The overhaul of the offense for the Miami football program with the hiring of offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee from SMU has ESPN wondering if the Hurricanes can become the next LSU in 2020.
The abysmal offense for the Miami football team under Dan Enos in 2019 and Mark Richt from 2016-18 has been documented ad nauseam at this point. The recent hiring of former SMU and Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is expected to vault the Hurricanes into a 21st-century offense.
Lashlee learned a lot serving on the staff of Gus Malzahn at Arkansas State and Auburn and played quarterback for him at Shiloh Christian School in Springdale, Arkansas. Lashlee was record-setting QB for Malzahn and holds least seven Arkansas State records in passing that all rank in the top ten nationally historically.
ESPN ranked Miami as one of three candidates for “There are more candidates for modernization in this coming year.” Georgia who the mothership wondered “we’ll see whether head coach Kirby Smart makes staff changes to address the issue.” and Washington are the other two. Lashlee’s number one task is to upgrade QB play.
Miami finished 83rd completing 58.4 percent of their passes in 2019, a respectable 59th with a 136.42 passer rating and tied for 67th averaging 7.4 yards per passing attempt. Lashlee will attempt to upgrade the offense completely by going to a spread and greatly increasing the tempo Miami plays with.
LSU created a revolution this season with their offense led by Heisman Trophy winning transfer quarterback Joe Burrow. The Tigers offense was to college football what the Jetsons were to cars and cartoons. LSU was intergalactic with their speed, prophecy and output. ESPN summarized what LSU did in 2019.
No, no one is saying that. But LSU was 10-3 last year with the same talent. They’re gonna be champs this year. Miami will be a 10 win team or better with the right offensive system. Then recruit and bring in guys to get you over the next hump and back on top. https://t.co/di2uYGwq1j
— Andrew Smith (Hiring Engineers) (@VSTSFounder) December 28, 2019
"“The revolution is over: The spread offense won. If the war wasn’t over when Alabama shifted to a more spread-out attack and thrived, it was officially official with LSU’s 2019 changes.Head coach Ed Orgeron and offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger committed to spreading things out and passing more, brought in assistant Joe Brady and his RPO/West Coast brain, and … well … their next loss with Brady will be their first”"
LSU led the country in total yards, was second in pass yards, eighth in total plays, second to Oklahoma, who they throttled in the Peach Bowl, in yards per play, and first averaging 540 yards per game which was 23.6 YPG more than anyone else. The Tigers were second in SP+ to Ohio State.
Improving the play of the QBs and changing the mentality of the signal callers on the Miami football roster will be critical for Lashlee and head coach Manny Diaz. It’s not going to happen overnight although the expectations from some will be that the Miami offense comes out clicking in the first game of next season against Temple.