RU OC Search New Names: Lashlee, Trickett & McNulty Updat

[scfa99]

2 new names and this update on McNulty: McNulty spoke with Ash over Christmas weekend when the Chargers were in town to face the Jets. Ash also has received several recommendations on McNulty, including one from a prominent former player.

Rhett Lashlee
It might not sound sexy to to Rutgers fans to hire UConn's offensive coordinator, but what if it was framed this way: A 34-year-old former SEC quarterback considered one of the bright young offensive minds in college football and a former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for four years at Auburn.

Lashlee has spent almost his entire career under the wing of Gus Malzahn, including stints at Arkansas, Arkansas State and Auburn. He also coached at Samford before leaving Auburn and taking an unexplained pay cut -- from $600,000 to $350,000 -- to go to UConn in 2017.

Lashlee is thought to be a candidate for South Carolina's offensive coordinator job, too.

Malzahn's run-based spread offense is similar to what Ash envisions at Rutgers.

Travis Trickett
Trickett is the offensive coordinator at Georgia State, after one in the same role at Florida Atlantic and five seasons at Samford including three as the play-caller.

If Ash wants to vet Trickett, he won't have to try very hard because his close friend, Charlie Partridge, was the FAU coach who hired Trickett. In 2016, the program set school records for
rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

As a graduate assistant, Trickett worked for Nick Saban at Alabama and both Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher at Florida State. He is making $178,449 at Georgia State.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i..._names_to_know_if_jer.html#incart_river_index

 

[vkj91]

I would prefer either of those guys over more experienced pro set types

 

[RUskoolie]

I am a major fan of Malzhan's O so Lashlee would be fine by me.

 

[rutgersguy1]

I've mentioned Lashlee right from the start and he runs power spread if that's what you want. UConn improved from 120s to 50s in YPG and 120s to lower 100s in PPG but a 9PPG improvement.

But that article doesn't say Ash talked to him, it's just throwing out a name like the names before or names that I and others have thrown out. Only said he talked to McNulty and I'm not big on that hire myself even though he did some good things here in the past.

Trickett is an okay name and I thought he was Rick Trickett's son and he was OL coach Rich Rod for a time at WVU so that's a nice lineage. Still would prefer a Sterlin Gilbert type over him.

Lashlee is the one I like out of the 3 mentioned but I don't see any sign that there was contact in either direction from that article.

 

[rufeelinit]

Anybody remember if McNultywas much of a recruiter? Hasn’t Malzahn essentially serve as the OC including calling plays? Did not see much of UConn this year to evaluate what he did there. Seems like a stretch for Trickett.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Anybody remember if McNultywas much of a recruiter? Hasn’t Malzahn essentially serve as the OC including calling plays? Did not see much of UConn this year to evaluate what he did there. Seems like a stretch for Trickett.

Yes Malzahn did and that's exactly why you see some names leave higher profile positions for ones you might not expect. They want to spread their wings and make a name for themselves out from under the umbrella of a HC. Lashlee took a paycut to go to UConn from Auburn.

I didn't watch UConn this year but I gave you some of the stats and improvement over last year. As far as recruiting, quite a few here said McNulty didn't like it and that's why he left for a position job in the NFL. So if that was true then what changed?

The thing is though if it was Lashlee he could have been hired already. Same for some other names like Gilbert or Wright. There's really nothing to wait on. They either didn't make a bowl or have had their bowl game finished already. So Lashlee's name may be thrown out here but I'm not sure how much credence you put into it because the hire could have been made already.

A Mazzone you still have to wait on or an NFL guy.

 

[knightfan7]

I'm not so tied up in where a coach comes from. It's more what he accomplished at those previous stops.

I understand you could say they're the exceptions but Chip Kelly was the OC at New Hampshire. In 3 years he went from that to OC then HC at Oregon. Joe Moorhead in 6 years went from QB coach at UConn to HC at Fordham to rock star OC at PSU and now HC at Miss St. I'm sure there are stories like these throughout CFB.

Just find the best coach available no matter where they currently reside. Period

 

[rutgersguy1]

I'm not so tied up in where a coach comes from. It's more what he accomplished at those previous stops.

I understand you could say they're the exceptions but Chip Kelly was the OC at New Hampshire. In 3 years he went from that to OC then HC at Oregon. Joe Moorhead in 6 years went from QB coach at UConn to HC at Fordham to rock star OC at PSU and now HC at Miss St. I'm sure there are stories like these throughout CFB.

Just find the best coach available no matter where they currently reside. Period

Agree with that. I suggested Phil Longo in the past before he went to Ole Miss and was still at SHSU. Beau Baldwin is a name I've brought up too before he went to Cal. Tim Cramsey who took over for Longo was a name someone else brought up and he seems okay too. Mike Yurcich at Ok. State was plucked from a D2 or D3 school by Gundy.

So I have no issue with hiring from the lower levels BUT that doesn't mean everyone from the lower level is qualified. It depends and I take it on a case by case basis.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Very interesting.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

I've mentioned Lashlee right from the start and he runs power spread if that's what you want. UConn improved from 120s to 50s in YPG and 120s to lower 100s in PPG but a 9PPG improvement.

But that article doesn't say Ash talked to him, it's just throwing out a name like the names before or names that I and others have thrown out. .

Doesn’t mean he hasn’t OR isn’t planning to speak with them.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Doesn’t mean he hasn’t OR isn’t planning to speak with them.

Of course he could but I'd wonder why the wait. They're available we have an opening if it was going to happen it can right now.

I suppose the only thing would be is if Lashlee, Gilbert, Wright, etc were lower down the list and they're waiting on someone else higher up and would circle back to them if turned down. Beyond that though if any of those guys are your main target the hire could have been made already.

 

[RutgersRockies]

I did watch some UConn football, and I was impressed with the progress the offense made, even after losing long-time starter Bryant Shirreffs. I'm a big Lashlee fan and thought Arkansas should have given him a look at HC.

 

[miketd1]

Agree with that. I suggested Phil Longo in the past before he went to Ole Miss and was still at SHSU. Beau Baldwin is a name I've brought up too before he went to Cal. Tim Cramsey who took over for Longo was a name someone else brought up and he seems okay too. Mike Yurcich at Ok. State was plucked from a D2 or D3 school by Gundy.

So I have no issue with hiring from the lower levels BUT that doesn't mean everyone from the lower level is qualified. It depends and I take it on a case by case basis.

To play devil's advocate, if they are young (30s/40s) and good, they won't be here for long and we're back at square one.

I'd prefer a career coordinator at this point to give the offense some stability and allow us to develop an identity that we can recruit to.

 

[MADHAT1]

To play devil's advocate, if they are young (30s/40s) and good, they won't be here for long and we're back at square one.

I'd prefer a career coordinator at this point to give the offense some stability and allow us to develop an identity that we can recruit to.

A career coordinator, working now, might not want to take a chance until Ash shows he'll last.
A young up and coming OC might be willing to gamble that he can help Ash make the RU O play well, helping RU win while enhancing his career options.
Right now Ash needs to win and a young experienced OC on the way up might be what Ash and RU needs now.

 

[rufeelinit]

You are not going to get someone who will check all of the desired boxes so you need to prioritize. To me given how pathetic we have looked on offense the last two years and ash’s defensively orientation I think coaching schemes and proven ability to develop talent trumps recruiting chops for the OC job.

Having said that, It is imperative that one of these 3 openings is filled by a person who has a strong reputation for being a dynamic recruiter in a particular area and preferably locally. Since I am not sure we will pay that much for the 10th position I am thinking it has to be a priority attribute for the next DL coach.

 

[Scarlet Knut]

As many have said, this is an extremely important hire and we have to get it right. If we are paying a salary in line with what Kill received we should be able to get and hopefully keep a talented OC that has demonstrated an ability to recruit. Also, if Ash is not hiring a separate QB couch, than the OC should have experience in that area. I would prefer a QB coach.

 

[PaKnight]

As many have said, this is an extremely important hire and we have to get it right. If we are paying a salary in line with what Kill received we should be able to get and hopefully keep a talented OC that has demonstrated an ability to recruit. Also, if Ash is not hiring a separate QB couch, than the OC should have experience in that area. I would prefer a QB coach.

Unless there is a change, there will not be a separate QB coach.

 

[miketd1]

A career coordinator, working now, might not want to take a chance until Ash shows he'll last.
A young up and coming OC might be willing to gamble that he can help Ash make the RU O play well, helping RU win while enhancing his career options.
Right now Ash needs to win and a young experienced OC on the way up might be what Ash and RU needs now.

I don't disagree, but at least one outlier -- Mazzone -- has shown interest.

 

[RUChoppin]

We need someone who is coming off several years worth of college OC gigs where he's shown success. We don't need someone who hasn't been in the OC chair in years (rust) or someone who has only been an OC for a year or two (learning on the job). We need someone who knows what they are doing and will have a short ramp up period.

McNulty doesn't check either box for me. He only has 3 years of OC experience, and that was a decade ago.

 

[vkj91]

We can’t get caught up with the if he stays crap. Yes, we would love continuity but it should be more about a system and style. Granted it’s for a different reason but the top programs lose their coordinators all the time as they leave for HC gifs. Unfortunately, Ash has yet to prove to us he knows what system he wants. Especially with names like Enos and McNulty floating around.

 

[asgot]

I would like to see a more power spread look as it seems like those teams are more plug and play and allow teams with less talent to compete and I feel like that is all we can ask for.

 

[miketd1]

We can’t get caught up with the if he stays crap. Yes, we would love continuity but it should be more about a system and style. Granted it’s for a different reason but the top programs lose their coordinators all the time as they leave for HC gifs. Unfortunately, Ash has yet to prove to us he knows what system he wants. Especially with names like Enos and McNulty floating around.

Some attrition is expected, but 9 different coordinators in 9 years is completely unacceptable IMO.

Doubly so if you're giving kids the impression you'll be there for them during the recruiting process.

That has to be a negative recruiting hot button for our rivals.

 

[rutgersguy1]

To play devil's advocate, if they are young (30s/40s) and good, they won't be here for long and we're back at square one.

I'd prefer a career coordinator at this point to give the offense some stability and allow us to develop an identity that we can recruit to.

I repeat things a lot here but don't always feel like typing things over and over. So I'll copy this here from another post but it's my feeling on the issue.

Give me two years and I'm okay, if we get more that's a bonus. Bob Stoops had at least 7 OCs in his 18 years at Oklahoma, mostly losing them to HC jobs and occasionally letting some go. IIRC Leach was only there 1 year and that got the ball rolling and many hires were from within staff from their co-OC setups or branches off Leach like Lincoln Riley.

Continuity doesn't necessarily have to be embodied in a single person. The philosophy and system is what I want to be continuous but we need that first guy to get the ball rolling and then hopefully it goes downhill from there.

It's one of the reasons I like a co-OC set up especially if we go with a less expensive option, then find a little bit green OC like a Graham Harrell who can come in and takeover should we lose another one to a better job or what not. It's not as if UM never had co-coordinators either, so it shouldn't be foreign to Ash. Dabo got a good coordinator like Chad Morris then when he left they promoted from within with two co-OCs in Jeff Scott and Sean Elliott. If one leaves, Elliott has been rumored for HC positions at times well they have the other.

 

[rutgersguy1]

We can’t get caught up with the if he stays crap. Yes, we would love continuity but it should be more about a system and style. Granted it’s for a different reason but the top programs lose their coordinators all the time as they leave for HC gifs. Unfortunately, Ash has yet to prove to us he knows what system he wants. Especially with names like Enos and McNulty floating around.

I agree. Like I said Bob Stoops knew what he wanted on offense, got Leach only for a year but that got the ball rolling and most of the hires were internal or branches of Leach's tree. The philosophy generally remained the same with some twists here and there. That's what I'm hoping for but I've said the same that it doesn't seem like Ash knows what he wants when you hear names like Enos and McNulty unlike Stoops during his tenure at OU. Again for the millionth time I'll say it, I'm worried about Charlie Strong Texas type issues where he was confused about what he wanted and who to implement it.

If we get continuity within one person great, but that's a bonus. Really what I would like is 2 years and hopefully the ball rolls down hill from there.

 

[jOmega]

To play devil's advocate, if they are young (30s/40s) and good, they won't be here for long and we're back at square one.

I'd prefer a career coordinator at this point to give the offense some stability and allow us to develop an identity that we can recruit to.

Agree with mike here. We don't need a sexy hire, just someone who has experience and can create an offense and call plays based on our talent level. Would like someone over 45 and preferably from this area who wants to stay and not use us as a stepping stone.

 

[PaKnight]

Agree with mike here. We don't need a sexy hire, just someone who has experience and can create an offense and call plays based on our talent level. Would like someone over 45 and preferably from this area who wants to stay and not use us as a stepping stone.

Coaches over 45 switch jobs too.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

This is an intriguing process - a fascinating puzzle - but it would seem that it might be better if the process had a bit more of a lid on it - starts to seem like there might be 20 people who could do this job well ... some more glamorous than others - some more seasoned - but it does not seem like it is productive for the long term to have each and every one dangled out there to have the fan base tantalized by the most attractive ones - only to have many dismayed if they deem the actual choice to be not as exciting, imaginative, creative, aggressive, experienced as one of the various possibilities that have been reported to have been in conversations.

 

[RUTGERZ_R00LZ]

Agree with mike here. We don't need a sexy hire, just someone who has experience and can create an offense and call plays based on our talent level. Would like someone over 45 and preferably from this area who wants to stay and not use us as a stepping stone.

Yeah. Lord knows we don't want somebody who does so well that other teams would promote him as their head coach. :weary:

 

[miketd1]

Yeah. Lord knows we don't want somebody who does so well that other teams would promote him as their head coach. :weary:

Which of our last 9 OCs was promoted to head coach..?

 

[PaKnight]

Which of our last 9 OCs was promoted to head coach..?

Brock?

 

[miketd1]

Brock?

I have no inside information but there were whispers he was forced out.

While technically you are right, I don't think that's the spirit of R00LZ' argument...

 

[bamrinnj706]

His last game was one of the worst offensive performances I've ever seen in a bowl game.

 

[rufeelinit]

I agree. Like I said Bob Stoops knew what he wanted on offense, got Leach only for a year but that got the ball rolling and most of the hires were internal or branches of Leach's tree. The philosophy generally remained the same with some twists here and there. That's what I'm hoping for but I've said the same that it doesn't seem like Ash knows what he wants when you hear names like Enos and McNulty unlike Stoops during his tenure at OU. Again for the millionth time I'll say it, I'm worried about Charlie Strong Texas type issues where he was confused about what he wanted and who to implement it.

If we get continuity within one person great, but that's a bonus. Really what I would like is 2 years and hopefully the ball rolls down hill from there.

I am not sure the circumstances under which Oklahoma turns over OC’s or other coaches for that matter is all that relevant to the situation at Rutgers. It a reload at a traditional power versus a continual rebuild by a school that most would view as a bottom feeder.

 

[rutgersdave]

It’s running again.

 

[RU old timer]

Not McNulty! We had talent then, yes. But he was not a good play caller. We won because of our talent. Not his play calling. We have NEVER had a good play caller here except for Ralph F.

 

[rufeelinit]

People might laugh at this but Terry Shea was a good play caller. Stan Parrish was pretty good too.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Of course he could but I'd wonder why the wait. They're available we have an opening if it was going to happen it can right now.

I suppose the only thing would be is if Lashlee, Gilbert, Wright, etc were lower down the list and they're waiting on someone else higher up and would circle back to them if turned down. Beyond that though if any of those guys are your main target the hire could have been made already.

There could be a slew of reasons as to "why" he's waiting, right now, which I'm sure others have gone over or you could figure out yourself (see: BOWL GAMES). That being said he couldn't even begin FORMAL interviews - IIRC - until the position has been posted for 7 days. This is a state position, hence, the "posting" allows all qualified candidates enough time to submit and prepare.

 

[dontestrond]

I think its

1. Phil Longo
2. John McNulty
3. Noel Mazzone

I think out of three, Mazzone wants the job bad because he will be unemployed. I think Ash wants Longo because of the power spread run game so we will see.

 

[PaKnight]

There could be a slew of reasons as to "why" he's waiting, right now, which I'm sure others have gone over or you could figure out yourself (see: BOWL GAMES). That being said he couldn't even begin FORMAL interviews - IIRC - until the position has been posted for 7 days. This is a state position, hence, the "posting" allows all qualified candidates enough time to submit and prepare.

Early signing period for RU and some of the candidates.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Early signing period for RU and some of the candidates.

Right.