UConn gave the coaching carousel some life with its recent decision to fire Bob Diaco.

While one Fox Sports analyst opined that the Huskies have to at least give Les Miles a call, most lists have UConn, an AAC team, looking at Power 5 assistants with offensive backgrounds. In that case, Bruce Feldman speculates that athletic director David Benedict may look at an assistant he knows well from his time at Auburn: Rhett Lashlee.

Benedict was named UConn’s athletic director after serving as the Auburn athletic department’s chief operating officer for two years. Lashlee has been on Gus Malzahn’s staff since 2013, so Benedict was not part of his hiring process, but is certainly familiar with the up-and-coming assistant from his two years on the Plains.

Lashlee got a resume boost this season when Malzahn handed over play-calling duties midway through the season. In 2016, the Tigers ranked No. 37 in total offense and No. 47 in scoring offense, the results of an excellent ground game (No. 6 in rushing offense) but poor passing game (No. 112). Lashlee, 33, first got into college coaching in 2006 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater Arkansas. He has coached offense and quarterbacks at Samford (2011), Arkansas State (2012) and Auburn (2013-present).

For now, Lashlee’s main concern will be next week’s Sugar Bowl game. Auburn takes on Oklahoma Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.