Just six years ago, in the fall of 2005, an Arkansas high school coach was trying to put his school’s football program on the national map. Fast-forward to 2011 and, not only did he put Springdale HS on the map, he has made a name for himself as the current offensive coordinator at Auburn University.
Gus Malzahn won three Arkansas Class AA state titles at Shiloh Christian and went on a 44-game unbeaten streak before moving across town and taking over Springdale HS. With his innovative two-minute, no-huddle offensive style, Malzahn won the 5A state title in 2005 going 14-0 with Springdale and their star quarterback, Mitch Mustain. After that stellar season, Malzahn and four of his players from that team, including Mustain, moved to the University of Arkansas, where Malzahn became the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.
Despite helping lead the Razorbacks to the SEC West title and winning the Rivals.com Offensive Coordinator of the Year, tension between Malzahn and Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt was high. That’s when Tulsa head coach Todd Graham, a friend of Malzahn’s, offered him the offensive coordinator job with the Golden Hurricane.
Malzahn’s reputation rose rapidly as Tulsa became the most prolific offense in the nation in 2007 and 2008, and the 2008 team became the second-highest scoring offense in major college football history.
In December 2008, Malzahn joined Gene Chizik’s newly hired staff at Auburn. The Tigers had been struggling as an offense, eventually leading to Tommy Tuberville’s ejection at the end of the 2008 season. Malzahn’s offense helped Auburn make significant strides in 2009 and in 2010, with eventual Heisman Trophy-winning Cam Newton running the show, the Tigers went 13-0 and captured the national championship.
Malzahn’s offenses are known for their up-tempo, up-tempo style, as well as their extended running attacks. The popular “Wildcat” became famous during Malzahn’s tenure at Arkansas when he inserted RB Darren McFadden at quarterback taking the snap off center. The Wildcat is really just a variation of the old single wing formation going back to Pop Warner.
In just six short years, the popular high school coach from Arkansas has risen through the coaching ranks to an offensive coordinator job in the SEC, to the defending national champion no less. He is highly respected among the coaching ranks and will surely be considered a head coaching candidate very soon.