Follow Coach Malzahn on Twitter @CoachGusMalzahn
Gus Malzahn’s first three seasons as UCF head football coach in 2021, 2022 and 2023 have featured three consecutive postseason bowl invitations (now 12 straight for teams coached by Malzahn and eight straight for UCF), overall nine-win marks in 2021 and 2022--plus a 2022 conference title-game qualification--as his Knight teams have injected themselves onto the list of elite collegiate programs.
Malzahn, who spent one year as a head coach in the Sun Belt Conference, eight years in the high-powered Southeastern Conference and two years in the American Athletic Conference, coached his first season in the Big 12 Conference in 2023.
Highlighted by a 45-3 late-season triumph over 15th-ranked Oklahoma State, Malzahn’s Knights defeated two teams that played in 2023 conference championship games—the Cowboys (Big 12) and Boise State (Mountain West champion). UCF’s initial year in the Big 12 saw it qualify for a Gasparilla Bowl matchup with Georgia Tech, making the Knights the only Big 12 newcomer (BYU, Cincinnati, Houston) to reach the postseason in 2023.
His UCF crew in 2023 ranked among the nation’s top offensive units—standing fourth in the country in rushing (233.2 yards per game) and seventh in total offense (492.2). In addition, the Knights allowed the fewest passing yards in the Big 12—with Knight players pacing the league in receiving yards per game (Javon Baker) and tackles for loss (Tre’mon Morris-Brash). UCF also ranks sixth in the country in third-down conversions at 50% and 10th in yards per pass completion (14.67).
Baker and Morris-Brash received first-team All-Big 12 recognition in voting by league coaches—while senior linebacker Jason Johnson made the second team after his third straight season with 100-plus tackles. Running back RJ Harvey (1,296 regular-season yards and 16 rushing touchdowns) became a Doak Walker Award semifinalist.
UCF’s impressive win against Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma State marked the 100th by Malzahn while coaching FBS programs—making him the first coach in college football history to win 100-plus games at both the high school level as well as while coaching at FBS institutions.
His 2022 squad produced significant regular-season victories over ranked Cincinnati and Tulane squads—followed by an appearance in the AAC Championship Game for the first time since 2018. In 2021 Malzahn’s unit finished with six wins in the Knights’ final seven games, a 29-17 Gasparilla Bowl triumph over Florida, a perfect 7-0 home record—and an eye-opening response to a parade of injuries to key personnel.
The Knights in 2022 excelled on both sides of the line of scrimmage. UCF finished among the national leaders on offense (16th in total offense at 469.6 yards per game and ninth in rushing at 228.4 yards per contest) while also leading the nation in red-zone defense much of the season (ending fifth at .707) and allowing only 23.6 points per game. Malzahn’s team also ranked 11th in first downs, 13th in fumbles recovered (12) to pace the league, 17th in fourth-down conversions (.633, third in AAC), 16th in third-down conversions (.464), 31st in scoring (32.9) and 24th in fewest penalties per game (4.86).
UCF in 2022 ranked second in the AAC in total offense and rushing. The improved Knight attack jumped 50 NCAA ranking slots in total offense, 19 in rushing, 34 in passing and six in scoring. The UCF defense improved its season averages in rush defense and scoring defense.
The Knights notched regular-season triumphs over two-time defending AAC champion Cincinnati by coming from behind twice in the final period—and recorded an impressive road win over regular-season AAC champion Tulane while running for 336 rushing yards. Two of UCF’s losses (Louisville and Navy) came by a combined nine points—while each of the final three Knight regular-season road games (Memphis, No. 17 Tulane, South Florida) ended in a seven-point win.
UCF in 2022 had 14 All-AAC first- or second-team selections: offensive guards Sam Jackson and Lokahi Pauole, center Matt Lee, offensive tackle Ryan Swoboda, defensive linemen Ricky Barber and Morris-Brash, linebacker Johnson and cornerback Davonte Brown as first-team picks to go with second-teamers Ryan O’Keefe and Baker at wide receiver, Isaiah Bowser and Harvey at running back plus defensive backs Justin Hodges and Divaad Wilson. In addition, long snapper Alex Ward for the second straight year was named one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly Award (and he played in the 2023 Senior Bowl and was the lone long snapper invited to the 2023 NFL Combine). Both Barber and Brown were named honorable mention All-America, and Brown was named the AAC Cornerback of the Year by Pro Football Network.
Malzahn’s Knights began the 2021 season by recording the largest comeback victory in UCF history in a 36-31 triumph over Boise State. His first team in Orlando prospered by pulling out three other wins by four-point margins and playing six games overall decided by a touchdown or less—with two UCF defeats coming by a combined 11 points.
The Knights had to survive the early-season loss of their starting quarterback (Dillon Gabriel—he missed the last 10 games) as well as lengthy sideline stints for their best defensive player (tackle Kalia Davis—he missed the last eight games), their top running back (Bowser—he missed five games) and their most dangerous receiver (Jaylon Robinson—he missed six games). They finished the campaign by running for 288 yards in the bowl triumph over Florida in front of 63,669 fans in Tampa.
One of three finalists for the Steve Spurrier Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America to the best head coach in his first year at a school, Malzahn saw Ward win third-team All-America honors from Phil Steele, while defensive end Big Kat Bryant was a first-team All-AAC pick by three different selectors. Pro Football Network named Bryant the AAC Newcomer of the Year and the league’s Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Eight other UCF players received at least 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 team pass efficiency defense (after ranking 104th in that NCAA statistical category the previous year), while also showing dramatic improvement in several other statistical categories:
- An upgrade of 86 slots in passing yards allowed compared to 2020, while permitting 89.1 fewer passing yards in 2021
- An improvement of 70 slots in total defense, while allowing 122.5 fewer yards per game compared to the previous season
Malzahn and his staff capped that 2021 season by building the highest-rated recruiting class in UCF history (rated 38th overall by 247Sports, including both high school players and transfers). According to both Rivals and 247Sports, UCF’s 2022-23 high school class ranked fourth in the Big 12 in average recruit grade (behind only Texas, Oklahoma and TCU).
Malzahn, who led Auburn to the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game following the 2013 season in the first of eight straight years his Tigers qualified for bowl games, was named the ninth head football coach at UCF on Feb. 15, 2021.
In eight years as head football coach at Auburn, Malzahn led the Tigers to an SEC Championship, two SEC West Division titles and six New Year’s Day bowl selections to go with those eight postseason appearances.
Malzahn, now 101-53 (.655) in 12 seasons overall as a head coach, has helped teams to eight conference championship game appearances in his 18 seasons as a collegiate coach, including winning a pair of SEC Championships at Auburn (2010, 2013) and a Sun Belt Championship at Arkansas State in 2012. In the final Associated Press rankings his Auburn teams finished second (2013), 10th (2017), 22nd (2014) and 24th (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 biggest turnaround in SEC history. He led the Tigers to a 12-2 record and one of the most memorable seasons in school history in 2013, with historic wins over Georgia and top-ranked Alabama and a record-setting SEC Championship Game win over fifth-ranked Missouri. He became just the third coach in SEC history to win an SEC title in his first year at a school, joining LSU’s Bernie Moore in 1935 and Ole Miss’ John Vaught in 1947.
The 34-28 victory over top-rated Alabama in 2013 came on a memorable 100-yard return of a Tide missed field goal on the final play of the game. Malzahn’s Tiger squads also 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 qualified as the second-longest tenured head coach at one school in the SEC. He is one of only a handful of active FBS head coaches to take a team to a national championship game. During his time with the Tigers, Auburn was one of only three SEC schools to play in multiple SEC Championships games and play for a national championship.
Malzahn has produced 16 1,000-yard rushers in 18 seasons as a college coach, including 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 (despite missing significant time with injuries) and Kerryon Johnson led the SEC with 1,320 yards in 2017.
On three occasions, Malzahn has had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season: 2013 and 2010 (both Auburn) and 2006 (Arkansas). Malzahn has also coached five 1,000-yard receivers and three 3,000-yard passers. His 2007 Tulsa team had three 1,000-yard receivers.
During Malzahn’s eight years at Auburn, the Tigers had the top rushing offense in the SEC, averaging 228.6 yards per game. In 2013, Auburn led the nation in rushing at 328.3 yards per game, the first SEC team to do so. Three of the top six team rushing totals in SEC history (2010, 2013, 2016) came under Malzahn’s leadership. Auburn became just the second team in SEC history to gain more than 7,000 yards of total offense in a season in 2013, finishing the year with 7,018 yards (also Texas A&M in 2012).
The Tigers set a school record with 48 rushing TDs in 2013 and set a school record against SEC opponents with 677 yards of total offense versus Missouri in the 2013 SEC Championship Game. The Tigers set SEC Championship Game team records with 26 rushing first downs, 74 rushing attempts, 545 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs.
Mason, the 2013 SEC Player of the Year, ranked third in the nation with 23 TDs, was fifth nationally with 1,816 yards rushing, sixth with 10.7 points per game, sixth with 169.57 all-purpose yards per game and eighth with 129.7 rushing yards per game. He set Auburn single-season records for rushing yards and all-purpose yards (2,374) and was second with 317 rushing attempts. His 46 rushing attempts and 304 rushing yards versus fifth-rated Missouri set SEC Championship Game records and fell three yards shy of the Auburn record.
In Malzahn’s eight seasons at Auburn 32 players were selected in the National Football League Draft, highlighted by four first-round picks--including Derrick Brown (No. 7) and Noah Igbinoghene (No. 30) in 2020. Malzahn’s other first-round picks were Greg Robinson (No. 2 overall) and Dee Ford (No. 23) in 2014. In the 2020 and 2021 drafts combined, 12 Auburn players were drafted, most for the Tigers in a two-year span in the common draft era.
Malzahn coached 14 All-Americans as head coach at Auburn, including consensus selections center Reese Dismukes (2014) and defensive lineman Derrick Brown (2019). Brown won the Lott IMPACT Trophy in 2019, while Dismukes was named the 2014 Rimington Award winner as the nation’s top center.
The Tigers faced the nation’s most difficult schedule collectively during Malzahn’s eight years at Auburn, facing 38 ranked opponents, including 21 in the top 10. Auburn was the nation’s only program in 2016 to face both the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked programs and in 2017 it faced three of the four College Football Playoff semifinalists a total of four times, earning two wins.
Malzahn and his coaching proved highly successful on the recruiting trail, recording five consecutive top-10 nationally ranked recruiting classes, a first in Auburn history. Six of his eight recruiting classes rated in the top 11 nationally.
Malzahn, who won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2010 while helping the Tigers to the national title, returned to Auburn after serving as the head coach at Arkansas State in 2012 when he led the program to a 9-3 regular-season mark and the Sun Belt Conference title. In that role he worked hand in hand with current UCF vice president and director of athletics Terry Mohajir who was named the Red Wolves’ vice chancellor and director of athletics in the middle of that 2012 season and remained in that role until coming to UCF in early 2021.
As offensive coordinator, Malzahn made an immediate impact during his tenure at Auburn, highlighted by a record-setting offense in 2010 when the Tigers finished 14-0 and claimed the school’s first national title since 1957. Malzahn’s arrival in 2009 and style of offense marked a drastic turnaround from the 2008 season when Auburn struggled offensively. In a two-year period, the Tigers improved from a tie for 110th to seventh in the nation in scoring offense (from 17.3 to 41.2) and from 104th to seventh in total offense.
The 2010 Auburn offense set nine school records while leading the SEC and finishing in the top 10 nationally in six statistical categories. Malzahn coached Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who had one of the best single-season performances at the position in college football history. Newton threw for 2,908 yards and 30 TDs, while rushing for 1,586 yards and 20 TDs. Newton, the number-one overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, also won 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 were among the nation’s finest, ranking first nationally in total offense. Tulsa’s offense in 2007 established nine team and 12 individual school records. The 2008 Tulsa offense averaged 569.9 yards per game and was second nationally, averaging 47.2 points per games. Malzahn in 2006 spent one season at Arkansas as offensive coordinator, coaching Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden and helping the SEC West champion Razorbacks finish fourth nationally in rushing.
Malzahn’s coaching career began in his home state of Arkansas at the high school level. In 14 seasons as a high school head coach, Malzahn led seven teams to the state championship game and won three titles. In July 2013, he was inducted into the Arkansas High School Sports Hall of Fame. After one year as defensive coordinator in 1991 he spent four years (1992-95) as head coach at Hughes (Arkansas) High School, five years in 1996-2000 as head coach at Shiloh (Arkansas) High School and five years (2001-05) as head coach at Springdale (Arkansas) High School.
His overall record as a high school head coach was 144-36-1 (.798). He won two Arkansas 2A titles at Shiloh Christian (15-0 in both 1998 and 1999) and one 5A crown at Springdale (14-0 in 2005).
Born in Irving, Texas, Malzahn graduated from high school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and played football at Arkansas (wide receiver in 1984-85) and Henderson State (receiver and punter in 1988-89), earning his bachelor’s degree from Henderson State in 1990. As a player he helped the Razorbacks to the 1984 Liberty Bowl and the 1985 Holiday Bowl (a win over Arizona State).
Malzahn and his wife Kristi (Otwell) are parents of two daughters, Kylie (Collin) Peek and Kenzie (Charl) Stander.