Rhett Lashlee likes to allow Miami football players freedom to succeed

New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has a simpler offense that will put the Miami football players in a better position to succeed than the previous offensive staffs.

New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has introduced the up-tempo power spread to the Miami football team. The Lashlee offense will put the Hurricanes in a better position to succeed offensively. It puts an emphasis on getting players in a position to make plays more than relying on play-calling and scheme.

Lashlee spoke to reporters on Monday about what to expect from the Miami offense in 2020. The former SMU offensive coordinator spoke about the personnel the Hurricanes have one offense, his enthusiasm about how the Miami players will perform and what the expectations should be on offense in 2020.

During training camp, Lashlee has worked on teaching the Miami football players the intricacies of the spread offense, getting used to playing an increased tempo and upgrading the offensive line from one of the worst in FBS in 2019. Lashlee has worked with the offensive staff to create a new culture.

Going from training camp and scrimmages to the first real Miami football game in 2020 allows everyone to put the speculation behind and see how the players will perform in a real situations. Lashlee will have the chance to see his players perform in live-action for the first time on Thursday night against UAB.

Getting ready for the season opener

"“We’re about to find out here in couple days you know kind of how it looks and where we stand.  I’m anxious to see our guys play um they’ve been great in practice, the way they’re buying into what we’re doing.But you just never really know as a coach till you get in the game situation see how guys are going to respond.I think there has to be some realistic expectations from the standpoint you know there was no spring ball, for the most part, there was no summer, there was not a normal fall camp period of time and so I’ve been really pleased with how our guys have really bought into what we’re doing, attacked what we’re doing.I do think they understand our expectations of the style and how we want to play. They’re fully committed to that they’ve done really well in practice but as you know practice is nothing like a  game….I think we’ll go through some growing pains when you’re going from a complete shift and style of play from what had been done here in the past what we’re trying to accomplish.”"

Adapting to the personnel on the roster

The philosophy Lashlee has proven throughout his career as an offensive coordinator is to utilize the talent the players on the rosters he has coached have instead of forcing a system on players who might not fit his scheme. The players Miami has, particularly quarterback D’Eriq King are different than ones he has coached before.

"“Every team’s different and you try I think good coaching is playing to the personnel you have and playing to the strengths of the players you have and ultimately it’s not what we know as coaches, it’s what they know and what they can do and so we’re doing our best as coaches to put them in positions to be successful.”"

Getting the offense ready quickly

Miami will not have the benefit of four non-conference games to get the offense figured out as they would have in the initial schedule. Lashlee knows it is going to take the first three to four games to get to be able to put the players in the best positions to succeed. With Clemson fourth on the schedule, there is not a lot of time.

"“These first two three four games we’re going to be learning what it is they do best and how they respond and so i think that’ll be a process.”"

UAB is a very good test for Miami in a game they should win. The Blazers have a defense that was top 10 in the country in 2019. The UAB offense has consistently struggled with turnovers. Lashlee and the offense will have to contend with a Blazers defense that allowed 293 yards and 4.37 yards per play against Central Arkansas.

Miami is clearly going to have to have far better number than that to win. Central Arkansas is an FCS team. Miami is a huge step up in competition for UAB. The Blazers allowed 302 yards in a 30-7 loss to Tennessee in 2019 in a game that they had three turnovers. The Miami offense needs to limit the turnovers against UAB.