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Former SEC head coach expected to take job at UCF
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It didn’t take long for Gus Malzahn to land on his feet.
Multiple reports indicate that the former Auburn head coach will be landing the job at UCF. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and multiple other reporters with the network reported on the news on Monday morning. Malzahn will take the place of Josh Heupel, who left UCF to become the next head coach at Tennessee during the offseason.
Malzahn was fired from Auburn following a 6-4 season in 2020. He was 68-35 in eight seasons as the leader of the Tigers and his teams finished ranked in the Associated Press Poll five times. Malzahn never had a losing season at Auburn and was 3-5 in Iron Bowl games against Alabama.
Gus Malzahn will be the next #UCF coach, sources told @aadelsonESPN, @ClowESPN and me. Deal should be finalized soon. Malzahn emerged as UCF's top target on Sunday. Yahoo first reported the hire by new athletic director Terry Mohajir. Malzahn, 55, is 77-38 in the FBS.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) February 15, 2021
Auburn’s best year under Malzahn was his first season with the program. The Tigers went 12-2 that year, appearing in the BCS National Championship Game but fell to Florida State.
Despite Auburn’s winning records and success against Alabama — at least compared to other teams in the SEC — Malzahn never led his team to the College Football Playoff and won just one conference title, and appeared in one other SEC Championship Game.
Prior to taking the job at Auburn, Malzahn was the head coach at Arkansas State for one season, leading the team to a 9-3 record.
UCF is also coming off a 6-4 season in 2020. Heupel left the program after three seasons as the head coach of the Knights.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB