The Miami football team finished 120th in rushing offense per game and 103rd in yards per carry in 2019. Under new offensive Rhett Lashlee, the Hurricanes have to improve on the ground offensively in 2020.
The early departure of junior DeeJay Dallas to the NFL took 693 of the 1,535 rushing yards the offense for the Miami football team had in 2019. Miami finished 120th nationally in rushing yards per game and 103rd in rushing yards per carry in 2019. With new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee those numbers need to improve.
Rushing yards per game should go up simply because Miami is expected to average about 15 more plays in the up-tempo, spread offensive system Lashlee runs over the more traditional pro-style offense that his predecessor Dan Enos preferred. Miami has a mostly inexperienced running back corps.
Cam’Ron Harris backed up Dallas last season and ran for 576 yards. Dallas averaged six yards per carry in 2019 with eight touchdowns and Harris averaged 5.1 with five TDs. Robert Burns returns to backup Harris after running for 116 yards and averaging four yards per carry. Fifty-one sacks allowed hindered Miami’s rushing totals.
College football includes yards lost in sacks as part of the rushing total. The Miami football team tied with UCLA for 128th nationally with 316 yards lost in sacks in 2019. Even with those numbers adjusted, the Hurricanes averaged just 142.38 rushing yards per game, which would have been 91st nationally.
As the offensive coordinator at SMU last season, Lashlee oversaw a Mustangs offense that was 43rd running the football averaging 180.85 yards per game on the ground. SMU was 66th with a 4.4 YPC average. SMU did set a program record with 35 rushing TDs in 2019. Lashlee adapts to his personnel as an offensive coordinator.
As the offensive coordinator at Arkansas State in 2012, Lashlee led the Red Wolves offense to finish 23rd averaging 207.69 rushing yards per game and 25th averaging 5.0 YPC. He joined the Auburn staff of his high school coach Gus Malzahn who left Jonesboro after one season. The Tigers offense was prolific led by Lashlee.
The two seasons Lashlee was the offensive coordinator were the best in Auburn history. With Nick Marshall at QB, Auburn led the nation in 2013 averaging 328.29 rushing yards per game. The Tigers were fourth averaging 6.3 YPC. In 2014, Auburn was 14th in rushing in 2014 averaging 255.46 YPG and 12th at 5.47 YPC.
Lashlee will utilize who he has offensively. Miami is only four deep at RB entering the 2020 season. Freshmen Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton are the backups for Harris and Davis. In 2021 the Hurricanes could have one of the deepest backfields in the country if they sign four-star commit Thad Franklin.
For 2020, expect a more balanced offense. Miami should improve on the ground with the up-tempo, spread offensive likely to create more running lanes and take pressure off the offensive line in both pass protection and run blocking. The Miami offensive line was the team’s biggest weakness in 2019.