UCF Knights head coach Gus Malzahn will resign from his present place to take over playcalling duties as Florida State’s new offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Saturday.
Malzahn, who beforehand served as Auburn’s head coach, the place he misplaced within the 2013 BCS National Championship to the Seminoles, has spent the final 4 seasons at UCF, the place he’s gone 28-24. The final two seasons have been a disappointment for the Knights, going 10-15 throughout their first two years within the Big 12.
The two have labored collectively beforehand, with Norvell serving as Malzahn’s graduate assistant in 2007 and 2008 through the latter’s tenure as Tulsa’s offensive coordinator.
Norvell, in addition to FSU athletic director Michael Alford, had beforehand hinted at some main names reaching out to precise curiosity within the offensive coordinator place beforehand held by former workers member Alex Atkins (who additionally served as offensive line coach).
Gus Malzahn was named the ninth head soccer coach at UCF on Feb. 15, 2021. He has lengthy been generally known as one among soccer’s nice offensive innovators, and over his 18 seasons as a coordinator and head coach on the collegiate degree, he has the resume to show it. Now 101-53 (.655) in 12 seasons general as a head coach, he has guided his groups to eight convention championship recreation appearances, together with a pair of SEC Championships at Auburn (2010, 2013) and a Sun Belt Championship at Arkansas State in 2012.
Malzahn was the primary head coach to implement the “Hurry-Up, No Huddle” offense within the SEC at Auburn in 2009, and his offensive philosophy and methods have since been applied by most collegiate packages, along with a number of NFL groups.
In 9 of Malzahn’s 18 seasons as a head coach or coordinator, his groups have been ranked within the Top 20 in whole offense and/or dashing offense, together with seven seasons within the Top 10. His 2022 and 2023 UCF groups completed the season ninth and fifth, respectively, in dashing offense, together with eighth general in whole offense final season. Malzahn has produced 16 1,000-yard rushers in his profession, together with RJ Harvey in 2023, Tre Mason (1,816) and Nick Marshall (1,068) in 2013 and Cameron-Artis Payne (1,608) in 2014. Malzahn’s Auburn groups nonetheless maintain SEC Championship recreation data for factors scored (59), whole offense (677 yards), dashing yards (545), particular person dashing yards (304), particular person dashing TDs (4), particular person receiving yds (217) and largest margin of victory (39).
Malzahn’s first three seasons at UCF have featured three consecutive postseason bowl invites (now 12 straight for groups coached by Malzahn and eight straight for UCF), nine-win marks in 2021 and 2022—plus a 2022 convention title-game qualification—as his UCF groups have injected themselves onto the record of elite collegiate packages.
Malzahn, who spent one yr as a head coach within the Sun Belt Conference, eight years within the high-powered Southeastern Conference and two years within the American Athletic Conference, coached his first season within the Big 12 Conference in 2023.
Highlighted by a 45-3 late-season conquer Fifteenth-ranked Oklahoma State, Malzahn’s Knights defeated two groups that performed in 2023 convention championship video games—the Cowboys (Big 12) and Boise State (Mountain West champion). UCF’s preliminary yr within the Big 12 noticed it qualify for a Gasparilla Bowl matchup with Georgia Tech, making the Knights the one Big 12 newcomer (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston) to achieve the postseason in 2023.
His UCF crew in 2023 ranked among the many nation’s high offensive models—standing fourth within the nation in dashing (233.2 yards per recreation) and seventh in whole offense (492.2). In addition, the Knights allowed the fewest passing yards within the Big 12—with Knight gamers pacing the league in receiving yards per recreation (Javon Baker) and tackles for loss (Tre’mon Morris-Brash). UCF additionally ranked sixth within the nation in third-down conversions at 50% and tenth in yards per go completion (14.67).
Baker and Morris-Brash acquired first-team All-Big 12 recognition in voting by league coaches—whereas senior linebacker Jason Johnson made the second staff after his third straight season with 100-plus tackles. Running again RJ Harvey (1,296 regular-season yards and 16 dashing touchdowns) grew to become a Doak Walker Award semifinalist.
UCF’s spectacular win towards Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma State marked the one hundredth by Malzahn whereas teaching FBS packages—making him the primary coach in school soccer historical past to win 100-plus video games at each the highschool degree in addition to whereas teaching at FBS establishments.
His 2022 squad produced vital regular-season victories over ranked Cincinnati and Tulane squads—adopted by an look within the AAC Championship Game for the primary time since 2018. In 2021 Malzahn’s unit completed with six wins within the Knights’ closing seven video games, a 29-17 Gasparilla Bowl conquer Florida, an ideal 7-0 residence file—and an eye-opening response to a parade of accidents to key personnel.
The Knights in 2022 excelled on each side of the road of scrimmage. UCF completed among the many nationwide leaders on offense (sixteenth in whole offense at 469.6 yards per recreation and ninth in dashing at 228.4 yards per contest) whereas additionally main the nation in red-zone protection a lot of the season (ending fifth at .707) and permitting solely 23.6 factors per recreation. Malzahn’s staff additionally ranked eleventh in first downs, thirteenth in fumbles recovered (12) to tempo the league, seventeenth in fourth-down conversions (.633, third in AAC), sixteenth in third-down conversions (.464), thirty first in scoring (32.9) and twenty fourth in fewest penalties per recreation (4.86).
UCF in 2022 ranked second within the AAC in whole offense and dashing. The improved Knight assault jumped 50 NCAA rating slots in whole offense, 19 in dashing, 34 in passing and 6 in scoring. The UCF protection improved its season averages in rush protection and scoring protection.
The Knights notched regular-season triumphs over two-time defending AAC champion Cincinnati by coming from behind twice within the closing interval—and recorded a powerful highway win over regular-season AAC champion Tulane whereas operating for 336 dashing yards. Two of UCF’s losses (Louisville and Navy) got here by a mixed 9 factors—whereas every of the ultimate three Knight regular-season highway video games (Memphis, No. 17 Tulane, South Florida) resulted in a seven-point win.
UCF in 2022 had 14 All-AAC first- or second-team alternatives: offensive guards Sam Jackson and Lokahi Pauole, middle Matt Lee, offensive deal with Ryan Swoboda, defensive linemen Ricky Barber and Morris-Brash, linebacker Johnson and cornerback Davonte Brown as first-team picks to go together with second-teamers Ryan O’Keefe and Baker at huge receiver, Isaiah Bowser and Harvey at operating again plus defensive backs Justin Hodges and Divaad Wilson. In addition, lengthy snapper Alex Ward for the second straight yr was named one among three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly Award (and he performed within the 2023 Senior Bowl and was the lone lengthy snapper invited to the 2023 NFL Combine). Both Barber and Brown have been named honorable point out All-America, and Brown was named the AAC Cornerback of the Year by Pro Football Network.
Malzahn’s Knights started the 2021 season by recording the most important comeback victory in UCF historical past in a 36-31 conquer Boise State. His first staff in Orlando prospered by pulling out three different wins by four-point margins and enjoying six video games general determined by a landing or much less—with two UCF defeats coming by a mixed 11 factors.
The Knights needed to survive the early-season lack of their beginning quarterback (Dillon Gabriel—he missed the final 10 video games) in addition to prolonged sideline stints for his or her finest defensive participant (deal with Kalia Davis—he missed the final eight video games), their high operating again (Bowser—he missed 5 video games) and their most harmful receiver (Jaylon Robinson—he missed six video games). They completed the marketing campaign by operating for 288 yards within the bowl conquer Florida in entrance of 63,669 followers in Tampa.
One of three finalists for the Steve Spurrier Award introduced by the Football Writers Association of America to the very best head coach in his first yr at a college, Malzahn noticed Ward win third-team All-America honors from Phil Steele, whereas defensive finish Big Kat Bryant was a first-team All-AAC choose by three totally different selectors. Pro Football Network named Bryant the AAC Newcomer of the Year and the league’s Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Eight different UCF gamers acquired not less than one first- or second-team All-AAC honor—linebacker Tatum Bethune, receivers O’Keefe and Brandon Johnson, offensive linemen Pauole, Cole Schneider and Marcus Tatum, and defensive backs Quadric Bullard and Wilson.
UCF in 2021 ranked seventh nationally in staff go effectivity protection (after rating 104th in that NCAA statistical class the earlier yr), whereas additionally displaying dramatic enchancment in a number of different statistical classes:
An improve of 86 slots in passing yards allowed in comparison with 2020, whereas allowing 89.1 fewer passing yards in 2021
An enchancment of 70 slots in whole protection, whereas permitting 122.5 fewer yards per recreation in comparison with the earlier season
Malzahn and his workers capped that 2021 season by constructing the highest-rated recruiting class in UCF historical past (rated thirty eighth general by 247Sports, together with each highschool gamers and transfers). According to each Rivals and 247Sports, UCF’s 2022-23 highschool class ranked fourth within the Big 12 in common recruit grade (behind solely Texas, Oklahoma and TCU).
Malzahn, who led Auburn to the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game following the 2013 season within the first of eight straight years his Tigers certified for bowl video games, was named the ninth head soccer coach at UCF on Feb. 15, 2021.
In eight years as head soccer coach at Auburn, Malzahn led the Tigers to an SEC Championship, two SEC West Division titles and 6 New Year’s Day bowl alternatives to go together with these eight postseason appearances.
Malzahn, now 101-54 (.652) in 12 seasons general as a head coach, has helped groups to eight convention championship recreation appearances in his 18 seasons as a collegiate coach, together with profitable a pair of SEC Championships at Auburn (2010, 2013) and a Sun Belt Championship at Arkansas State in 2012. In the ultimate Associated Press rankings his Auburn groups completed second (2013), tenth (2017), twenty second (2014) and twenty fourth (2016).
The 2013 Bear Bryant, Bobby Bowden, Eddie Robinson, Home Depot, Sporting News, SB Nation, Liberty Mutual and Associated Press National Coach of the Year, Malzahn earned SEC Coach-of-the-Year honors that season after guiding Auburn to the largest turnaround in SEC historical past. He led the Tigers to a 12-2 file and one of the vital memorable seasons in class historical past in 2013, with historic wins over Georgia and top-ranked Alabama and a record-setting SEC Championship Game win over fifth-ranked Missouri. He grew to become simply the third coach in SEC historical past to win an SEC title in his first yr at a college, becoming a member of LSU’s Bernie Moore in 1935 and Ole Miss’ John Vaught in 1947.
The 34-28 victory over top-rated Alabama in 2013 got here on a memorable 100-yard return of a Tide missed subject objective on the ultimate play of the sport. Malzahn’s Tiger squads additionally defeated seventh-ranked Texas A&M in 2013, seventh-rated Ole Miss in 2014, second-ranked Georgia and top-rated Alabama in 2017 and fifth-ranked Alabama in 2019.
After his eight seasons at Auburn, Malzahn certified because the second-longest tenured head coach at one faculty within the SEC. He is one among solely a handful of lively FBS head coaches to take a staff to a nationwide championship recreation. During his time with the Tigers, Auburn was one among solely three SEC faculties to play in a number of SEC Championships video games and play for a nationwide championship.
Malzahn has produced 16 1,000-yard rushers in 18 seasons as a university coach, together with Harvey in 2023 for UCF, Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason (1,816) and Nick Marshall (1,068) in 2013 and Cameron-Artis Payne (1,608) in 2014. Kamryn Pettway ran for 1,123 yards in 2016 (regardless of lacking vital time with accidents) and Kerryon Johnson led the SEC with 1,320 yards in 2017.
On three events, Malzahn has had two 1,000-yard rushers in the identical season: 2013 and 2010 (each Auburn) and 2006 (Arkansas). Malzahn has additionally coached 5 1,000-yard receivers and three 3,000-yard passers. His 2007 Tulsa staff had three 1,000-yard receivers.
During Malzahn’s eight years at Auburn, the Tigers had the highest dashing offense within the SEC, averaging 228.6 yards per recreation. In 2013, Auburn led the nation in dashing at 328.3 yards per recreation, the primary SEC staff to take action. Three of the highest six staff dashing totals in SEC historical past (2010, 2013, 2016) got here below Malzahn’s management. Auburn grew to become simply the second staff in SEC historical past to achieve greater than 7,000 yards of whole offense in a season in 2013, ending the yr with 7,018 yards (additionally Texas A&M in 2012).
The Tigers set a college file with 48 dashing TDs in 2013 and set a college file towards SEC opponents with 677 yards of whole offense versus Missouri within the 2013 SEC Championship Game. The Tigers set SEC Championship Game staff data with 26 dashing first downs, 74 dashing makes an attempt, 545 dashing yards and 7 dashing TDs.
Mason, the 2013 SEC Player of the Year, ranked third within the nation with 23 TDs, was fifth nationally with 1,816 yards dashing, sixth with 10.7 factors per recreation, sixth with 169.57 all-purpose yards per recreation and eighth with 129.7 dashing yards per recreation. He set Auburn single-season data for dashing yards and all-purpose yards (2,374) and was second with 317 dashing makes an attempt. His 46 dashing makes an attempt and 304 dashing yards versus fifth-rated Missouri set SEC Championship Game data and fell three yards shy of the Auburn file.
In Malzahn’s eight seasons at Auburn 32 gamers have been chosen within the National Football League Draft, highlighted by 4 first-round picks—together with Derrick Brown (No. 7) and Noah Igbinoghene (No. 30) in 2020. Malzahn’s different first-round picks have been Greg Robinson (No. 2 general) and Dee Ford (No. 23) in 2014. In the 2020 and 2021 drafts mixed, 12 Auburn gamers have been drafted, most for the Tigers in a two-year span within the widespread draft period.
Malzahn coached 14 All-Americans as head coach at Auburn, together with consensus alternatives middle Reese Dismukes (2014) and defensive lineman Derrick Brown (2019). Brown received the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2019, whereas Dismukes was named the 2014 Rimington Award winner because the nation’s high middle.
The Tigers confronted the nation’s most tough schedule collectively throughout Malzahn’s eight years at Auburn, going through 38 ranked opponents, together with 21 within the high 10. Auburn was the nation’s solely program in 2016 to face each the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked packages and in 2017 it confronted three of the 4 College Football Playoff semifinalists a complete of 4 instances, incomes two wins.
Malzahn and his teaching proved extremely profitable on the recruiting path, recording 5 consecutive top-10 nationally ranked recruiting courses, a primary in Auburn historical past. Six of his eight recruiting courses rated within the high 11 nationally.
Malzahn, who received the Broyles Award because the nation’s high assistant coach in 2010 whereas serving to the Tigers to the nationwide title, returned to Auburn after serving as the pinnacle coach at Arkansas State in 2012 when he led this system to a 9-3 regular-season mark and the Sun Belt Conference title. In that position he labored hand in hand with present UCF vice chairman and director of athletics Terry Mohajir who was named the Red Wolves’ vice chancellor and director of athletics in the course of that 2012 season and remained in that position till coming to UCF in early 2021.
As offensive coordinator, Malzahn made an instantaneous affect throughout his tenure at Auburn, highlighted by a record-setting offense in 2010 when the Tigers completed 14-0 and claimed the college’s first nationwide title since 1957. Malzahn’s arrival in 2009 and elegance of offense marked a drastic turnaround from the 2008 season when Auburn struggled offensively. In a two-year interval, the Tigers improved from a tie for a hundred and tenth to seventh within the nation in scoring offense (from 17.3 to 41.2) and from 104th to seventh in whole offense.
The 2010 Auburn offense set 9 faculty data whereas main the SEC and ending within the high 10 nationally in six statistical classes. Malzahn coached Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who had probably the greatest single-season performances on the place in school soccer historical past. Newton threw for two,908 yards and 30 TDs, whereas dashing for 1,586 yards and 20 TDs. Newton, the number-one general choice within the 2011 NFL Draft, additionally received the Davey O’Brien, Manning and Maxwell awards.
During two seasons (2007-08) as assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator at Tulsa, Malzahn’s offenses have been among the many nation’s best, rating first nationally in whole offense. Tulsa’s offense in 2007 established 9 staff and 12 particular person faculty data. The 2008 Tulsa offense averaged 569.9 yards per recreation and was second nationally, averaging 47.2 factors per video games. Malzahn in 2006 spent one season at Arkansas as offensive coordinator, teaching Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden and serving to the SEC West champion Razorbacks end fourth nationally in dashing.
Malzahn’s teaching profession started in his residence state of Arkansas at the highschool degree. In 14 seasons as a highschool head coach, Malzahn led seven groups to the state championship recreation and received three titles. In July 2013, he was inducted into the Arkansas High School Sports Hall of Fame. After one yr as defensive coordinator in 1991 he spent 4 years (1992-95) as head coach at Hughes (Arkansas) High School, 5 years in 1996-2000 as head coach at Shiloh (Arkansas) High School and 5 years (2001-05) as head coach at Springdale (Arkansas) High School.
His general file as a highschool head coach was 144-36-1 (.798). He received two Arkansas 2A titles at Shiloh Christian (15-0 in each 1998 and 1999) and one 5A crown at Springdale (14-0 in 2005).
Born in Irving, Texas, Malzahn graduated from highschool in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and performed soccer at Arkansas (huge receiver in 1984-85) and Henderson State (receiver and punter in 1988-89), incomes his bachelor’s diploma from Henderson State in 1990. As a participant he helped the Razorbacks to the 1984 Liberty Bowl and the 1985 Holiday Bowl (a win over Arizona State).
Malzahn and his spouse Kristi (Otwell) are dad and mom of two daughters, Kylie (Collin) Peek and Kenzie (Charl) Stander.
