Auburn AD Jay Jacobs says it took ‘audacity and courage’ for Gus Malzahn to give up play calling
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Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs didn’t see it coming.
After Gus Malzahn spent the offseason expressing his desire to get more involved with the offense, he handed over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee starting with Auburn’s win against LSU on Sept. 24.
The move was worked out well for the man who engineered the Tigers’ offense in two separate national title game appearances — Auburn is one of the hottest team’s in the country and suddenly in the College Football Playoff conversation.
“All the credit goes him that he had the audacity and the courage to say this isn’t the best thing for this team,” Jacobs told reporters at the Montgomery Quarterback Club on Tuesday night. “Now that Rhett is calling the plays, I think that’s made Gus a little more confident in what he’s doing because he’s letting his people do what they need to do.”
Malzahn spoke about the move during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday, suggesting that giving Lashlee control of the offense has worked out better than expected.
“I trust Rhett, trusted him before,” Malzahn said. “I knew he would do well in that role. He has a good mind for taking what the defense gives you, does a good job of keeping defenses off-balance.”
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
