Miami football could lose most of offensive staff for bowl game
The dominoes of college football head coaching hires could greatly impact the offensive coaching staff for the Miami football team in their bowl game next month. Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is expected to succeed Sonny Dykes at SMU who is projected to be hired as the head coach at TCU.
If those scenarios play out many expect Lashlee to take Miami offensive line coach Garin Justice and wide receivers coach Rob Likens with him to Dallas. Lashlee was the OC at SMU in 2018 and 2019 before being hired by Manny Diaz to come to Miami. Justice and Likens both have previous experience as offensive coordinators.
The Miami coaching staff is in flux with speculation that head coach Manny Diaz could lose his job once the Hurricanes hire as new athletic director. Miami could name the athletic director sometime this week. If Lashlee is hired by SMU he would likely leave the Hurricanes immediately and not coach in the Miami bowl game.
Justice and Likens coaching Miami in the bowl game or leaving with Lashlee immediately for SMU would be less sure. They could stay with Miami through the bowl game and then leave with Lashlee for SMU. If Miami is without Justice, Lashlee and Likens for the bowl game they would have a Spartan staff.
Losing Justice, Lashlee and Likens would leave Miami with running backs coach Eric Hickson, tight ends coach Stephen Field and senior offensive quality control analyst Jonathan Brewer. Brewer is also a Lashlee protege working with him in a similar position at SMU. Brewer could stay for the bowl game then join Lashlee in Dallas.
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Any decisions on the Miami offensive staff for the bowl game will not be determined until if, as expected, Lashlee is hired at SMU. The potential of losing Justice, Lashlee and Likens for the bowl is posing the question about the possibility. The transition of the Miami coaching staff could begin early next week.