Sterlin Gilbert

Former Texas offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert could be a candidate for the Auburn offensive coordinator position. (Texas athletics)

As he enters his sixth season as a college head coach, Gus Malzahn is searching for his second offensive coordinator.

Rhett Lashlee's departure to become the offensive coordinator at UConn creates the biggest and most important void Malzahn has ever had to fill on his offensive coaching staff as No. 24 Auburn (8-5, 5-3 SEC) prepares for what should be a pivotal 2017 season.

Auburn will be looking for a new offensive play-caller, a responsibility Malzahn delegated to Lashlee starting with the LSU game this season, and quarterbacks coach as the Tigers contemplate what to do at the position heading into the fall.

Oft-injured two-year starter Sean White is set to return but Auburn averaged its fewest yards through the air since 2012 and added former Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Here's a look at 8 potential candidates AL.com has compiled (listed alphabetically):

Art Briles, former Baylor head coach

It would have been an extremely controversial move for Auburn, or any school, to hire Briles after his firing from Baylor and the program recognized that. Despite his friendship with Malzahn, Auburn is not considering Briles, a source confirmed to AL.com.

Briles' son, Kendal, who landed the offensive coordinator position at FAU, is also not being considered.

Kodi Burns, Auburn wide receivers coach

Promoting Burns to offensive coordinator would be an extremely big step in his career and not realistic. It would be a contingency plan, at best.



Eliah Drinkwitz, North Carolina State offensive coordinator

Drinkwitz served as Malzahn's running backs coach at Arkansas State in 2012 and stayed under Bryan Harsin in 2013, then followed him to Boise State in 2014 and served as offensive coordinator in 2015.

He earned $450,000 as the offensive coordinator at N.C. State this past season, but doesn't have the same extensive experience as some of the other candidates.

Sterlin Gilbert, South Florida offensive coordinator

A former Texas high school coach, Gilbert does not have much more experience at the FBS level than Drinkwitz or Lindsey, but he doesn't have any prior ties to Malzahn. Last season, Gilbert called plays at Texas, which owes him a buyout of $850,000 annually with a mitigating offset of 50 percent of his compensation elsewhere though Jan. 2019.

Gilbert was a graduate assistant under Art Briles while at Houston in 2005 and served as offensive coordinator under former Baylor assistant Phillip Montgomery at Tulsa in 2015. Familiarity with that offense could prove useful if Gilbert is Auburn's pick with former Baylor quarterback Jarrett Stidham competing for the starting job.

Eddie Gran, Kentucky offensive coordinator

Gran served as Auburn's running backs and special teams coach from 1999-2008. He's been the offensive coordinator at Florida State (2010-12), Cincinnati (2013-15) and Kentucky (2016), where he's making $650,000. Gran's background is as a running backs and wide receivers coach, so if he were the pick there would likely be additional changes required to fill the void at quarterbacks coach.

Herb Hand, Auburn offensive line coach

Hand and Malzahn and good friends and he's been an offensive coordinator both with Malzahn and after his departure from Tulsa. His knowledge of the offense might be second to none of any other candidate. Promoting Hand would still leave a vacancy on the staff though.



Mark Helfrich, former Oregon head coach

The Ducks have consistently been a strong offensive team and Helfrich's offensive prowess is not in question, it was defense that was his downfall in Eugene. What is in question is Helfrich's willingness to take an offensive coordinator position or wait for a head coaching vacancy.

Chip Lindsey, Arizona State offensive coordinator

Lindsey served as an analyst at Auburn, been a head coach at multiple Alabama high schools and has been a candidate for several head coaching jobs, including Georgia State. His knowledge of Malzahn's system is extensive, but so too is his current compensation ($650,000), which is more than what Lashlee was making.

If Malzahn is to hire someone from his coaching tree, Lindsey could be the leading option. However, two days into the search a source told AL.com the feeling was the new hire would not have a connection to Malzahn.

A veteran coordinator and quarterback coach with a history at Auburn, Mazzone emerged as a leading candidate and then chose to stay at Texas A&M all within a matter of hours on Thursday.

He earned $965,000 last year in College Station, but is due $600,000 with a $200,000 retention bonus for each of the next two years. Mazzone would owe Texas A&M 100 percent of his remaining base salary if he left for another job in the SEC, or approximately $1.2 million.

Mazzone's son, Taylor, is a quality control assistant for the Aggies after serving as quarterbacks coach under his father at UCLA for three years. It was a package deal at Texas A&M and would almost certainly be again if he were to leave.



Jeff Scott, Clemson co-offensive coordinator

Scott has spent time with Auburn's staff over the years. With Clemson's offense losing its major pieces off a national championship season, it would not be out of the question for members of the coaching staff to be candidates elsewhere. It would likely take a lot to get Scott, who has only coached wide receivers, to leave his alma mater. He's making $643,750 annually and not calling the plays.

Jake Spavital, Cal offensive coordinator

Spavital, who worked with Malzahn and Hand at Tulsa in 2008, agreed to become the offensive coordinator at West Virginia, as first reported by FOX Sports' Bruce Feldman. Spavital had a three-year contract starting at $450,000 annually and increasing by $50,000 each year.

Brandon Streeter, Clemson quarterbacks coach

Streeter has been the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator for Clemson for two years after spending three years as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at FCS Richmond. Coaching Deshaun Watson and winning a national championship are tremendous accomplishment, though Street has not called plays at the FBS level. If hired, it's possible if not likely Streeter would be quarterbacks coach and Hand would be promoted to coordinator and call the plays.

Mike Yurcich, Oklahoma State offensive coordinator

Rumors circulated about Auburn's interest in Yurcich for several days and for apparently good reason. According to a report by Oklahoma radio station The Franchise in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Yurcich interviewed for the position.

According to Robert Allen of Oklahoma State's Scout site, Yurcich has withdrawn his name from consideration on Wednesday. ESPN's Brett McMurphy confirmed Yurcich, who has been offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State for four years, is staying in Stillwater.