New Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will have a big impact on the race in ACC Coastal Division and should be recognized for how the new offense can swing the balance of power in the division.
Rhett Lashlee was hired by Miami Hurricanes football head coach Manny Diaz in January to transform the offense. Lashlee runs an up-tempo spread offense that fits modern football more than the pro-style offense that previous offensive coordinator Dan Enos and prior head coach Mark Richt ran.
Once hired, Lashlee brought in offensive line coach Garin Justice and wide receivers coach Rob Likens as assistants. Justice was the offensive coordinator at UNLV last season and Likens was the OC at Arizona State for two years. The experience Justice and Likens have will help the Lahlee transform the Miami offense.
Last week, an article by Barton Simmons of 247Sports analyzed “The 20 people who will swing the 2020 college football season.” Miami quarterback D’Eriq King who is a graduate transfer from Houston was named one of Simmons’ 20 people. King signed with the Hurricanes largely because of the new offense Lashlee is installing.
Four offensive coordinators and two defensive were named to Simmons list. Rhett Lashlee was not one of the coordinators included. The 36-year old Lashlee is considered one of the best offensive minds in college football. Lashlee is expected to have a significant impact on the Miami football program in 2020 and beyond.
Miami should be a contender to win the ACC Coastal Divison in 2020. The impact Lashlee should have on the Miami offense should make him one of the 20 people who can swing the 2020 College Football season. The hiring of Lashlee as offensive coordinator simplifies the offense and addition of King brings stability at QB.
Miami had the nation’s 90th ranked scoring offense and 98th ranked total offense in 2019. With Lashlee as the offensive coordinator, SMU finished seventh in scoring offense and ninth in total offense in 2019. The combination of King and Lashlee together can swing the balance of power in the ACC Coastal.
No division in college football has had a literal balance of power like the Coastal has over the last seven seasons. Each team in the Coastal has won one title from 2013-19. Miami won their only outright ACC Coastal Division title in 2017. That should change during Lashlee’s tenure with Miami.