Gus Malzahn’s 2015 assistants may be not the most experienced bunch in terms of how long they have worked together, but most of them have helped the Tigers go 20-7 in the last two seasons, including a berth in the 2013 BCS National Championship Game.
Aside from two of his mainstays, Malzahn brought in a mostly new crew of assistants when he took over for Gene Chizik after the 2012 season, and has kept his staff together for the last two years with the exception of replacing defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson with Will Muschamp and bringing in Lance Thompson from Alabama to coach Auburn’s linebackers and Travaris Robinson from Florida to coach its defensive backs.
Below are Auburn’s current assistants ranked by how many years they’ve coached with Malzahn:
1. Rhett Lashlee, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks — 8 years
Lashlee has spent eight of the last 11 seasons working closely with Malzahn and his innovative offense in a variety of capacities. Because Malzahn is Auburn’s play-caller, Lashlee probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his input, but nonetheless he is very valuable member of the Tigers’ staff.
2. J.B. Grimes, offensive line — 4 years
Grimes, who has coached in 17 bowl games and has guided numerous NFL players, spent the 2012 season as the offensive line coach at Arkansas State with Malzahn. He has four years’ experience coaching with Malzahn, more than any other current Auburn assistant except Lashlee. In 2013, Grimes helped left guard Alex Kozan be named to the Coaches All-SEC Freshman team. Kozan, who missed last season following back surgery, will be back on the offensive line for the Tigers in 2015.
3. Dameyune Craig, co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers — 3 years
Craig holds the Auburn single-season record for passing yards in a season (3,227), a total that Tigers starting quarterback Jeremy Johnson could exceed this season. The junior, a much purer passer than Nick Marshall, definitely has the arm strength to do it. D’haquille Williams and Ricardo Louis are his top returning wideouts.
4. Scott Fountain, special teams/tight ends coach — 3 years
Fountain, who became Auburn’s special teams and tight ends coach in 2013 after spending the previous four seasons as the Tigers’ player personnel director, helped C.J. Uzomah become a fifth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in this year’s NFL draft. It’ll be up to Fountain to get the most out of redshirt freshman Kamryn Pettway and true freshman Chandler Cox at H-back.
5. Rodney Garner, associate head coach/defensive line — 3 years
Garner, whose cousin is Charles Barkley, served in several capacities on the Auburn staff from 1990-95, including recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach, and assistant strength and conditioning coach after completing his playing career with the Tigers. Garner also served a 15-year coaching stint with Georgia. DE Carl Lawson, who is back for the Tigers after missing all of 2014 following knee surgery, will be one of Garner’s key players this year.
6. Tim Horton, running backs — 3 years
In 2014, Horton was instrumental in helping Cameron Artis-Payne lead the SEC in rushing at 123.7 yards per game. Artis-Payne also joined Tre Mason, Bo Jackson, Rudi Johnson and Cam Newton as the only rushers in Auburn history to post a 1,400-yard season. This year, Horton has talented backs Roc Thomas, Peyton Barber and Jovon Robinson at his disposal.
7. Travaris Robinson, defensive backs — 1 year
A four-year letter winner with the Tigers from 1999-2002, Robinson helped Auburn win or share three straight SEC West titles before playing two seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made four coaching stops as a defensive assistant before landing at Florida in 2011.
8. Will Muschamp, defensive coordinator — 1 year
At Florida, Muschamp had a 28-21 record and was named the 2012 SEC Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to an 11-2 record and a Top-10 finish. Fired by Florida after last season, Muschamp is a 20-year coaching veteran, having spent 16 of those seasons in the SEC. He returns to the Plains after serving as Auburn’s defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach in 2006 and 2007.
9. Lance Thompson, linebackers — 1 year
A veteran defensive assistant, Thompson originally worked with Nick Saban at Alabama during the 2007 and 2008 seasons before leaving for a three-year stint at Tennessee. Thompson returned to Tuscaloosa in 2012 to serve as the Crimson Tide’s outside linebackers coach. Twice ranked as the nation’s top recruiter, Thompson helped bring Julio Jones, AJ McCarron, Mark Barron, D.J. Fluker and Trent Richardson to Alabama. This offseason, he made an eyebrow-raising switch from Tuscaloosa to Auburn. Linebackers Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy are two of his top returning players.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
