Arizona State Sun Devils

Auburn Football Welcomes Chip Lindsey Back to the Plains as OC

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:03 p.m. ET

Fansided, Keith Prater/FanSided via Fly War Eagle

After an extensive ten day search for a new offensive coordinator, Auburn football has found their man.

Earlier today, the Auburn athletic department took to social media to announce the hiring of Chip Lindsey as the new offensive coordinator. The search seemed to drag on for over a week an a half, but it appears Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn made the decision to bring Lindsey back to the plains after previously serving as an offensive analyst during the 2013 season.

Prior to helping Auburn finish ranked second in the final BCS poll in January of 2014, Lindsey spent two seasons as Spain Park High School’s head football coach, leading them to their first ever state championship. After leaving Auburn, Lindsey spent two years as the offensive coordinator at Southern Miss before being hired at Arizona State in the same role, while compiling an impressive resume’.

In 2015 at Southern Miss, Lindsey’s offense ranked eighth while averaging 519 yards per game, and 12th in scoring with 40.6 yards per game. At Arizona State last season, Lindsey’s offense finished 42nd in the nation in total yards per game, though it should be noted that injury problems at the quarterback position contributed to drop in production. Heading into late October last season, ASU’s depth chart became so thin they were forced to start fourth string freshman quarterback, Dillon Sterling-Cole, in a game against Oregon.

Chip Lindsey has a reputation as a quarterback developer, something Auburn desperately needs as production at the position has been in a steady decline since Cam Newton left Auburn. Lindsey’s air-raid style offense differs from the power spread that Malzahn brought to Auburn, but if Lindsey assumes play calling duties as expected, he’ll have all the toys on offense he needs with incoming Baylor transfer quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, and a roster full of talented receivers.

Rumors began to swirl over the past few days that it was the powers above Gus Malzahn making the decisions in the search for an offensive coordinator. This hire leads me to believe there wasn’t much truth to that rumor, as Lindsey and Malzahn already have a great working relationship.

Expect a fast paced offense with plenty of fireworks in the passing game. If Malzahn can stay out of the way and allow Lindsey to operate, Auburn fans will be in for a fun season.