Gus Malzahn Leaving Arkansas State to Return to Auburn as Head Coach

AUBURN, Ala. (WCBI/Clarion-Ledger) —Auburn has turned to the architect of its national championship winning offenses for its next head coach. Multiple reports on Rivals, 24/7 Sports, and Scout.com are reporting that Gus Malzahan will be named as the new Tigers coach.

(AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Former Auburn offensive coordinator and current Arkansas State head coach Gus Malzahn has decided to return to his former school to coach the Tigers.

Gene Chizik’s downfall on the Plains began this offseason when Malzahn left to become the head coach at Arkansas State, and he replaced Malzahn’s spread offense with a pro-style system that bogged down with incorrect talent.

For the second consecutive season, the Red Wolves’ head coach will be leaving for the SEC. Malzahn replaced Hugh Freeze in Jonesboro after he left for the Ole Miss job.

Arkansas State went 9-3 this season and closed the year on a seven game winning streak averaging 36.4 points and nearly 500 total yards of offense per game.
They scored 41 or more points in four of their last five games.

Malzahn was a high school head coach in Springdale, Ark., in 2006 when Houston Nutt hired him as his offensive coordinator to help entice Springdale’s quarterback, the top recruit in the country, Mitch Mustain to Fayetteville. Malzahn only stayed there for a year after a falling-out with Nutt, and left for Tulsa where the Golden Wave led the nation in total offense in 2007 and 2008.

Malzahn joined Chizik at Auburn in 2009 where he developed the much-maligned Chris Todd into a record-breaking quarterback for the Tigers. The following year Malzahn designed the offense around Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton as the Tigers went 14-0 and won the national championship.