Miami Hurricanes OC Rhett Lashlee showing he can win with different QB types

It took Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee some time to adjust going from D’Eriq King to Tyler Van Dyke at quarterback, but the offense has gained over 400 yards in each of the last three games. Lashlee has proven throughout his career that he can win with different types of quarterbacks.

King earned honorable mention All-ACC in 2020 completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 2,686 yards 23 touchdowns and five interceptions while rushing for 538 yards and another four TDs. Returning from a torn ACL at the end of 2020, King completed 66.4 percent this season for 767 yards, three TD and four interceptions.

King also ran for 96 yards in three games for the Miami Hurricanes this year. Against Michigan State, King suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Redshirt freshman Van Dyke started against Central Connecticut State and split the time with true freshman Jake Garcia. Garcia suffered an ankle injury against the Blue Devils.

Van Dyke has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,488 yards, 12 TDs and four interceptions with 31 rushing yards and one TD. Lashlee has had to adjust his offense significantly going from King to Van Dyke at QB. This is not the first time in his career that Lashlee has adjusted to a different style of QB.

Lashlee coached Nick Marshall and Cam Newton at Auburn and Shane Buechele at SMU. All three had their own distinctive style. King was more similar at Marshall as a prototype dual-threat QB. Newton because of his 6’5 245-pound frame and mobility. Buechele is a more traditional pro-style QB.

Coaching Buechele, Marshall and Newton gave Lashlee the foundation for switching from King to Van Dyke in-season. It took Lashlee and Van Dyke time to find their rhythm together. Lashlee stated on Monday that he was too conservative in his play-calling beginning with the Miami Hurricanes game against Virginia.

Offensive coordinators are only as confident as to how well their players and particularly the quarterback are playing per Lashlee. Van Dyke was 9-26 for 122 yards, no TDs and two interceptions in the first halves against North Carolina and Virginia. Van Dyke played well in the second halves against UNC and UVA.

Van Dyke has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 692 yards, five TDs and two interceptions in the second half this season. The best quarter Van Dyke has had all season came on Saturday at Pittsburgh. Van Dyke was 8-11 for 237 yards and two TDs in the first quarter against Pittsburgh as Miami led 21-10.

After consecutive wins over ranked teams, Miami will be favored in their final four games of the season. The way Lashlee is calling plays and Van Dyke is producing, the Miami pass offense should continue to thrive. Virginia Tech who has the 34th ranked pass defense is the only one in the top 60 of Miami’s last four opponents.