Rhett Lashlee Gone -- OC at SMU

[Adios]

This fall at the Rent.

1-3? We have yet to beat them.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Let's look at the tea leaves. It appears Lashlee was pushed out at Auburn

Purportedly, the door was held open. No one is irreplaceable, but not with a candidate with zero coaching experience. Next up!

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

My guess is that DO gets a serious look.

He obviously has a long time connection with HCRE, he will come cheap since he has no coaching experience (unfortunately, that is a key factor given UConn's financial position), has the NFL pedigree, has the obvious connection with our current players and recruits, and he bleeds blue.

Normally you wouldn't even think about giving someone with no coaching experience the OC spot. But already having someone on the offensive staff with the experience and knowledge that Terry Richardson does, that could help ease the transition for a rookie OC.

DO has basically already told Mike Anthony that he would take the job if offered (and it sounds like he has already had this discussion with his wife).

Given the high profile position that Orlovsky took in the past couple of weeks with the UConn recruits (especially right before and on signing day), combined with the fact that Lashlee has been interviewing for the last couple weeks (coinciding with signing day), you have wonder if this has been in the works for a couple of weeks now. Hmmm

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I want Grimes to stay put because I think he's a really good OL coach. But if he goes, I know the first person I want And his name rhymes with holy moley...

Apparently, your wish would also please all 3 umess fans.

 

[huskysupporter]

My guess is that DO gets a serious look.

He obviously has a long time connection with HCRE, he will come cheap since he has no coaching experience (unfortunately, that is a key factor given UConn's financial position), has the NFL pedigree, has the obvious connection with our current players and recruits, and he bleeds blue.

Normally you wouldn't even think about giving someone with no coaching experience the OC spot. But already having someone on the offensive staff with the experience and knowledge that Terry Richardson does, that could help ease the transition for a rookie OC.

DO has basically already told Mike Anthony that he would take the job if offered (and it sounds like he has already had this discussion with his wife).

Given the high profile position that Orlovsky took in the past couple of weeks with the UConn recruits (especially right before and on signing day), combined with the fact that Lashlee has been interviewing for the last couple weeks (coinciding with signing day), you have wonder if this has been in the works for a couple of weeks now. Hmmm

Would love for Dan to be on staff in some capacity but OC, that would not be a good idea.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

My guess is that DO gets a serious look ... but already having someone on the offensive staff with the experience and knowledge that Terry Richardson does, that could help ease the transition for a rookie OC. Hmmmm

Reassess from the perspective of an AD managing his own professional career, trying to stabilize and rebuild a challenged athlectic department. It's a stretch at this point for DO, but perhaps consider flipping the 2 roles. Richardson, also with zero OC experience yet a long relationship with HCRE as OC and FQB DO as QB coach. Nah, even that's probably still a stretch. Maybe HCRE and AD David Benedict actually hire a new OC with prior OC success. TBD!

 

[huskymedic]

Scott Lutrus‏ @ScottLutrus 4h 4 hours ago
Joined twitter to begin my campaign for @danorlovsky7 as @UConnFootball OC. Let’s. Go. #firsttweet @UConnHuskyAD @RandyEdsall

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

This fall at the Rent.

As soon as the vegas odds come out for that game I'm going to put all of my money on the over!

 

[Brochacho]

I can't imagine hiring someone with 0 coaching experience to gameplan and scheme on a weekly basis, run the offensive side of practice, call plays, coach a position, recruit players, etc.

Good way to turn our dumpster fire into a nuclear winter.

 

[UConnRock]

As we have learned from the Diaco debacle, regardless of the amount of experience in other coaching positions (or in the case of Orlovsky as a player) you just can't have a guy at OC at the FBS level who has not called plays. I don't care if it is FBS, MAC, or D-II or III, the guy needs to have called plays for a few years. What looks good on paper or seems logical in a coaches mind sometimes just does not connect on the field (see George DeLeone). A coach only learns this by calling plays and totally grasping the successes and failures in real-time. The game moves too quickly and the situations are so fluid that having an OC learning on the job is a horrible head coaching decision.

 

[BNich]

Wow. Did not see this coming.

 

[BlueDogs]

I give. This is just friggin ridiculous.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Strange career decision. He left Auburn to get out from the shadow of Malzhan (Malzahn will ultimately get all credit for offensive success at Auburn). At UConn, he can say he built the offense on his own and any success would be his. But at SMU, any offensive success will be attributed to Sonny Dykes, not to Lashlee. Just a strange career decision if his ultimate goal is to be a HC at a major program in the future.

If he had success at UConn in the next year or two, he would be a candidate for a HC job at a non-P5 school. I don't think he gets that opportunity as the OC for SMU under Dykes. His next move will likely have to be to as an OC spot at a P5 school (which is the position he left last year at Auburn) before he has a realistic shot at getting a HC gig in the BCS.

Maybe his wife was just unhappy in the Northeast. Although the fact he wanted the Rutgers OC job kind of eliminates that as the primary driver. But given the initial success he has had at UConn in year 1, it is a very curious career decision for him to take an OC position at another non-P5 school under the shadow of the "offensive mind" of Sonny Dykes.

 

[whaler11]

LOL to anyone who bought the closer to home excuse

Has anyone ever in the history of jobs bought that reason?

 

[TheDrifter75]

Oklahoma State hired a DII coach a few years back that was making 50k. They offered their standard pay of 400k for OC and the guy took it and worked pretty good for them.

 

[uconnbill]

Benedict will not be here for the long haul. If we are lucky, Benedict will be at UConn when the next football season begins...But I wouldn't bet my house on it....

Curious about your insight on how you would know this? My guess you are guessing. If he turned down Auburn, then I think he is here for awhile.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Curious about your insight on how you would know this? My guess you are guessing. If he turned down Auburn, then I think he is here for awhile.

Similarly, polite news reports aside what suggests AD David Benedict was even seriously considered as AD candidate, let alone truly in the running?

 

[Bob Hensley]

Time for Dan O to step into the program???

Bring DO in here...let's get him to work...

 

[RSTuthill]

I give up! How do we lose a coach to SMU....SMU....SMU!?!?!?! The one good thing we had going for us! I have lost all hope!

Wife wants to live in the South. I would bet my life on it.

 

[whaler11]

Does DO want to coach or be the next Romo? Maybe he hasn’t made up his mind.

 

[RSTuthill]

Grimes will probably follow. Hate the fact this is an in conference move. Was it the snow?

Yes.

 

[Exit 4]

Bring DO in here...let's get him to work...

Hi Dan?

 

[Woof 101]

He is the guy that moved boldly on Diaco. He’ll always have that.

No attack here whaler but a difference of opinion. I would say he moved boldly on Diaco had he fired him before signing off on a contract extension. Bold would have been saying I don't care what Warde thought, he is no longer here and I am. Bold would have been, I'm sorry for what you have already approved Susan but you hired me for a reason.
It took a lot of negative feedback from season ticket holders to make his decision. He simply made the right one after the fact and too late to save the school a lot of ching. Bold would have been walking in the door and saying hi and goodbye to BD in the same sentence. Again no malice but he only did what anyone would have. Just my opinion but his pedigree should have had him taking action sooner rather than later.

 

[Exit 4]

Wife wants to live in the South. I would bet my life on it.

Agreed. And while he interviewed for Rutty, maybe Ash pulled the plug because he sensed it was going to be a 1 year deal no matter what because of the family pull south. And why not interview for Rutty when the pay will be - what? double?

 

[whaler11]

No attack here whaler but a difference of opinion. I would say he moved boldly on Diaco had he fired him before signing off on a contract extension. Bold would have been saying I don't care what Warde thought, he is no longer here and I am. Bold would have been, I'm sorry for what you have already approved Susan but you hired me for a reason.
It took a lot of negative feedback from season ticket holders to make his decision. He simply made the right one after the fact and too late to save the school a lot of ching. Bold would have been walking in the door and saying hi and goodbye to BD in the same sentence. Again no malice but he only did what anyone would have. Just my opinion but his pedigree should have had him taking action sooner rather than later.

I am working under the assumption the extension was negotiated before he arrived even if it was signed after.