At SEC Media Days, Eli Drinkwitz was asked about his former Auburn coaching staff colleague Gus Malzahn since leaving the Plains for the sunny pastures of Central Florida. Drinkwitz, the Tigers QB coach during Malzahn’s days as offensive coordinator, shared some pretty positive news about the SEC-championship winning coach in 2013.
According to the Mizzou head coach, Malzahn ‘really enjoys his work environment’, ‘dreaming about what he can build at UCF’, needed a ‘new challenge’, and ‘doesn’t let anything stress him anymore’ because he keeps his hair grey.
It sounds like the Plains and Malzahn really did need to go their separate ways and the UCF move was one that was ultimately healthy — and positive so far for his coaching legacy following a poignant underperformance during the toughest time in recorded history for the entire NCAA from a financial standpoint in his final year.
UCF won nine games and defeated Florida in a neutral-site game in Tampa for the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn got his win back from the 2019 when Bo Nix marched into ‘The Swamp’ and was overwhelmed in his AU debut and knocked Dan Mullen out of Gatorland in the process.
It’s safe to say that he really did upgrade his own personal situation, all the while looking back at the fire the very same Auburn University Board of Trustees set in his departure continuing to burn into Bryan Harsin’s time as Tigers HC.
Things could change for Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin if both their fortunes reverse in 2022
Things often change very quickly in college football. Ask Gene Chizik about not winning as many games as you used to.
It has proven time and again across the SEC that it doesn’t matter how many games you have won before. If your systems stop working, your job security dwindles. Mullen wasn’t safe a year after an SEC Championship trip and Ed Orgeron wasn’t safe two years removed from a National Championship.