05-05-2025
Two former Auburn coordinators included in USA TODAY's head coach ranking
Two former Auburn coordinators included in USA TODAY's head coach ranking A pair of Malzahn-era coordinators are honored by USA TODAY Sports after leading their teams to the College Football Playoff last season.
Auburn football has a respectable track record when it comes to producing college head coaches. Coaches such as Tommy Bowden, Jimbo Fisher, and Will Muschamp all spent time at Auburn before leaving to lead other programs.
The trend remains alive today as two of the nation's best head coaches were once offensive coordinators for the Auburn Tigers.
USA TODAY Sports college football reporters Blake Toppmeyer, Paul Myerberg, and Jordan Mendoza recently ranked the best college football head coaches ahead of the 2025 season, and two former Auburn coordinators made the cut.
Rhett Lashlee grabs the No. 22 slot after leading SMU to the College Football Playoff in 2024. USA TODAY credited Lashlee for navigating the Mustangs into a smooth transition from the American Athletic Conference to the ACC in one season, and for his ability to lead SMU to "a level of relevance not seen since its rule-flouting Pony Express days."
Lashlee joined Auburn's coaching staff as Gus Malzahn's first offensive coordinator in 2013, and stayed with the program until the 2016 season, when he left Auburn to become the offensive coordinator at UConn. Lashlee's most memorable season was in 2013 when he played a role in leading Auburn to the BCS National Championship Game. Auburn running back Tre Mason led the SEC in rushing with 1,816 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. Auburn's offense ranked No. 2 in the SEC that season behind Texas A&M by posting 501 yards per game.
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham just missed the top 25 but was included as an honorable mention. Dillingham made one of the sports' biggest turnarounds in 2024 by leading the Sun Devils to an 11-3 record, a Big 12 title, and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Dillingham spent one season at Auburn, serving as offensive coordinator during the 2019 season. Auburn's offense, which featured true freshman Bo Nix, finished No. 6 in the SEC by averaging 408.6 yards per game. That season, Nix finished No. 6 in passing yards behind key names such as Joe Burrow, Kyle Trask, and Tua Tagovailoa with 2,542 yards and in touchdowns with 16.
Steve Sarkisian of Texas, Kalen DeBoer of Alabama, and Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss all made the top-25 list, with Georgia's Kirby Smart taking the top spot.
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