Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and defensive coordinator Adam Fuller didn't need to watch much of the Miami Hurricanes' first two games to get a feel for what they'll be up against this Saturday.
UM offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who has the Hurricanes off and running -- and passing and scoring -- at a high level already in 2020, is a familiar face for both of them.
One year ago, Lashlee was the offensive coordinator at SMU, when the Mustangs engaged in a high-profile slugfest with Norvell's final Memphis team -- of which Fuller was defensive coordinator.
And Norvell's history with Lashlee actually goes much deeper than that.
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Not only have the two coaches squared off during each of the past three seasons, but they also both owe part of their success in college coaching to the guidance of current Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn.
As a matter of fact, Norvell explained Monday it was Lashlee's decision to not follow Malzahn to Tulsa in 2007 that actually opened a major door in Norvell's journey to become a full-time college coach. Up until that point, Norvell had only been a graduate assistant coach for one year, at his alma mater, Central Arkansas.
"He was the graduate assistant for Coach Malzahn back at Arkansas," Norvell said of Lashlee. "And then Coach Malzahn went to Tulsa, and Rhett decided not to make that move, which is kind of what provided me an opportunity to go and become a G.A. with Coach Malzahn at Tulsa. So I guess I owe a lot to Rhett for that decision."
Norvell smiled Monday when he told that story, and for good reason. Within two years, he was a full-time assistant coach at Tulsa. And a couple years after that, he would be co-offensive coordinator at Pitt and then offensive coordinator at Arizona State.
But the FSU head coach's demeanor grew a little more serious when discussing the challenge of facing a Lashlee-coached offense.
Though just 37 years of age, Lashlee has already been offensive coordinator at six different college programs -- Miami, SMU, UConn, Auburn, Arkansas State and Samford.
"A lot of respect for him and the job that he's done throughout his coaching career," Norvell said. "He's definitely one of the sharpest and probably best offensive coordinators in the country -- at what he does and how he does it."
Through two games as part of Manny Diaz's staff, Lashlee has the Hurricanes' offense out to a very strong start. They scored 47 points on Saturday at Louisville and have boasted one of the most explosive attacks in the country so far this season.
