AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 29 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAuburn made a good hire in Malzahn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hope everybody had a great Christmas! It’s good to be back because we have a lot to discuss between now and the BCS championship game on Jan. 8.
Let’s start with this. We are through the first week of the bowl season. What have we learned?
1. Gene Chizik made a good hire in Gus Malzahn: The Auburn family is clearly divided over the hiring of Chizik as the Tigers’ new head coach. So how do you bring the family back together? You hire assistants to get the family excited again. Chizik made a run at Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels, an Auburn grad and one of the best in the business. Searels decided to stay put. But Chizik scored with the hiring of Gus Malzahn as Auburn’s new offensive coordinator. Malzahn comes from Tulsa where his offense this season was second only to Oklahoma in scoring, averaging over 47 points per game. Malzahn was a very successful high school coach in Arkansas who had a cup of coffee with the Razorbacks before getting sideways with head coach Houston Nutt. Now Malzahn comes back to the SEC with a chance to coach against Arkansas AND Nutt, who is now at Ole Miss.
How is this different from the hire of spread guru Tony Franklin, you ask? Simple. Malzahn will start with an offensive staff that has already bought into his system. That was not the case with Franklin at Auburn.
FYI. Malzahn will coach the Tulsa offense in the GMAC Bowl on Jan. 6.
2. Florida State is ready to win an ACC championship in 2009: When I visited with the Florida State coaches this summer, I came away thinking that 2008 was the setup year to make a serious run at the ACC championship in 2009. After watching Florida State dominate Wisconsin 42-13 in the Champs Sports Bowl, it looks like the Seminoles are right on schedule. Now Wisconsin was certainly overrated in the preseason but they do have some big time running backs, including P.J. Hill, who had 140 yards against that Seminole defense. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who turned 79 on Nov. 8, will return next season with 382 career victories. Penn State’s Joe Paterno, who just turned 82, has 383 wins but is not expected to beat Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Paterno also has a new hip and a three-year commitment from Penn State to keep coaching. It will be interesting watching those two in 2009.
3. I will never bet against Pat White again: I thought North Carolina would beat West Virginia in the Meinke Car Care Bowl because the Tar Heels were playing in Charlotte, which is only a couple of hours from their campus in Chapel Hill, and would have the home crowd advantage. But I forgot that in Pat White, North Carolina was facing one of the truly extraordinary athletes in the history of college football. Except for a big turnover at the end, North Carolina played very well. White, however, was magnificent, completing 26 of 32 passes for 332 yards including a 20-yard touchdown pass which won the game. He finishes his career 4-0 in bowl games and was the MVP in three of them. Don’t tell me this guy can’t play in the NFL. Somebody in the league needs to be creative enough to find a place for White. He’s just too good to quit playing.
4. Steve Addazio will be a head coach in four years or less: Florida coach Urban Meyer has promoted offensive line coach Steve Addazio as the Gators’ new offensive coordinator, replacing Dan Mullen. Mullen, 36, has been named head coach at Mississippi State but will stay on to work the BCS national championship game against No. 1 Oklahoma. Being Meyer’s offensive coordinator is like being Mack Brown’s defensive coordinator. It leads to a head coaching job. Meyer’s three previous offensive coordinators—Mullen (Mississippi State), Mike Sanford (UNLV), and Gregg Brandon (Bowling Green)—have all become head coaches.
But I do have one question. This will be one of the few times when the old offensive coordinator and the new offensive coordinator will both work the same game. Wonder how that is going to work out?
5. Jacory Harris MUST be the Miami quarterback in 2009: I know Miami lost the Emerald Bowl to California, but it wasn’t Jacory Harris’s fault. The freshman from Miami’s Northwestern High School made plays all season when he got in the game but Hurricane OC Patrick Nix stuck with Robert Marve. Well, Marve didn’t play in the Emerald Bowl because he was suspended. He has been inconsistent on and off the field since he got to Miami. Harris came to Miami with a bunch of his high school teammates and if the Hurricanes are going to become relevant again, it’s time to let those guys grow up together. Miami was on the cusp of a very good season after the Hurricanes beat Virginia Tech 16-14 on Nov. 13. But in the final three games against Georgia Tech, N.C. State and California the Hurricanes got outcoached, period. The 2009 season will be the third under head coach Randy Shannon. Everybody in that program needs to take it up a notch next fall.
Services »
Comments
By azcat225
December 29, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this
Do you think Nutt and Malzahn will swap stories before the Ole Miss/Auburn game next season?
Seems like we’ve heard this about FSU the last three or four years. I’ll believe it when I see it. Beating up a team from the Conference That Can’t Count is meaningless.
Coach Stewart was very emotional about White after that game. Part of that emotion probably came from the fact that he won’t have White at QB next year.
I hope Addazio ends up with a better job than the other three did.
The coaching is pathetic at Miami-FL. The clock management the last two minutes of that game was on par with a poorly coached middle school team. Not sure how you fix that by “taking it up a notch”.
By T-Bone
December 29, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
The ACC will be tough next year. FSU is coming back strong, as is Miami, NC State, and NC. Wake will continue to be good as long as Grobe is there. Va Tech will continue to play Beamer-ball. Clemson will be better, and I don’t see BC getting worse, but better. And then Tech had the most freshman and sophs to play than anyone else, and won 9 games (and may win 10 and finish in the top 10).
But GT will win the ACC next year and play in a BCS bowl.
By yellowblood
December 29, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
FSU win the ACC???? You must be kidding!!! We are going to win the ACC easily and continue our win streak against the MUTTS. And all the time we will be holding the nations best Tickle Piles!!!
By me
December 29, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
The problem with Miami is Nix. Shannon will be force to make offensive staff changes if he wants to coach past 2009. He will need to fire Nix this week. Nix is clueless when it comes to developing players and calling plays. When Jimmy Johnson tells him to fire Nix, he is going to do it.
By Miles
December 29, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this
Malzahn: Spingdale, AR to Fayetteville, AR to Tulsa, OK to Auburn, AL! Where will he be next season?
By brink
December 29, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
I’m not sure how you can gather that “FSU is back” after watching the Champs Sports Bowl. That was a bad Wisco team and FSU still gave up 9 yds per carry to a slow PJ Hill. They’ve got some speed on D, sure, but a couple freak touchdowns (fumble returns) and a phantom roughing the punter call made this game look worse than it was.
Jimbo’s offenses are statistically no better than Jeff Bowden’s. Plus, with the NCAA hammer about to drop on them, I don’t see an ACC title run out of FSU.
Of course, the ACC is THAT bad so I suppose anyone has a shot.
By GatorGuy
December 29, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
Tony, will FSU even be able to play in the post season next year? Is the NCAA going to hammer them?
By IE'66
December 29, 2008 10:10 AM | Link to this
Yellowblood, I do not know what a tickled pile is, but I do like your enthusiasm. I’ll see you at the Dome.
()Tech 22 LSU 5()
This writer is much better than the one that writes the internet blog postings for the Tech team. That writer is a a University of Georgia graduate I do beleive and one that predicted our boys in Gold would give up 15 touchdowns to LSU. Unprofessional. Go back and read the internet blog posting from yesterday. I’m too mad to do it.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
December 29, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this
Tony, good gosh here you go again jumping back on the FSU bandwagon. For the first year ever you go with somebody besides FSU as your pick (Clemson) to win the ACC. You’re just a hype peddler and you bought into the Clemson hype. I hate to tell you but there are other teams in the ACC, but I know you’re too busy making the SEC something it’s not…good.
I mean “Steve Addazio will be a head coach in four years or less”…oh brother, gee whiz, sigh, WHAT EVER DUDE!!!
Tony, there will be a whole bunch of assistant coaches who will be head coaches in 4 years.
Please change you name to Mr. SEC Football, you’re obvious bias isn’t deserving of Mr. College Football.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
December 29, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
OK IE’66 you’re almost there, drop the brackets and you got it!!!
By Gator Nation
December 29, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this
Average SAT of the Florida student body = 1236
Average SAT of the Georgia student body = 1188
Florida wins again!!!
(Yes Tech, I know you guys are 1344)
By Eric1
December 29, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
It’s about freaking time we got some good news from the Plains! WDE!!
By Bamafan
December 29, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
Auburn made a good choice in hiring Malzahn. The problem with Auburn is they do not have a good qb to run his offense! Auburn will probably just run the football this coming year and let the defense win the games till they recruit the players for his offense! Hope the seminoles do win the ACC next year and play for the national title. It will be a rebuilting year at Bama next year,they will breaking in a new qb and the offense line new also. The defense will be very good and kicking games will be excellent!!
By Hey Gator Nation
December 29, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
SmartMoney magazine just named the University of Georgia the number one university on the nation when it comes to getting the best value for your tuition. Texas was second. Tech was an impressive number 4.
Florida, not so much. Sorry.
Google it yourself.
By Tj
December 29, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
Tony, Gt will contend for the ACC title in 2009 and win it in 2010.
By Shane
December 29, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
The nerds have one good year a decade and all of a sudden they think they are relevant again.
By Gator Nation
December 29, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
Hey Gator Nation
Kiplinger ranks the Public universities by best value:
1) North Carolina 2) Florida 3) Virginia 4) Georgia
Google it yourself.
Florida wins again!
By Ikee
December 29, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
Seems sad Auburn and Tenn are not in bowl games. These two programs have really gone down hill. Look for a slow make over by these two.
By autig
December 29, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
Funny thing before this year JPW was left for dead. Kodi Burns has twice the talent JPW. Its called coaching and when it comes to offensive coaching Auburn has not had it. Easy to say Burns sux, so did JPW so did Jason Campbell, so did, so did and on and on and on. Malzahn will make Burns look like god unfortunately for bama fans.
By Elmo
December 29, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
Please don’t insult me comparing White to Tebow. Is there no shame ? Cheese- It said that he wanted “smash mouth” Football - is this hire going to do that ? Hell no. Welcome to your newest “little friend” - C-USA’s newest member in the SEC - Auburn .
By Gus Malzahn
December 29, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this
You’ve really dropped pretty far when you think that Gus Mazhaln is a good hire. Sure, Tulsa is a high scoring team. But they were racking up all kinds of points before Gus got there. We’re basically talking about a high school coach that has 2 years of college experience, one at a lower echelon program and the other at Arkansas where Houston Nutt took back control of the offense cause he didn’t like what Gus was doing. Add to that the fact that Auburn still doesn’t have a prototype dropback qb. This is going to be a freaking disaster for Auburn.
By saint nick
December 29, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Malzone as a OC in the SEC is a freaking joke!!!!!Tulsa had a great offense against the Conf. USA teams, how did that offense do against Arkansas????Texas put 52 on arky, Bama put 49 on arky, FLa put 38 on arky, TULSA PUT 23 ON ARKANSAS, NEED I SAY MORE!!!!!!!BARNERS WILL WIN 3 GAMES IN 09!!!!!ROLL TIDE!!!!!
By bill
December 29, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
Tony,Wisconsin maybe the worst team in a bowl game this year or in several years.They are slower than some Fla. high school teams..The only way FSU wins next year is if the ACC is as mediocre as this year.
As for Bowden we’ll see if the NCAA forfiets some FSU wins due to the academic cheating scandal that you refuse to mention.
As for the UGA fans,49-10.
By Hey Gator Nation
December 29, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
UGA, #1 in one poll, #4 in the other UF, #2 in one poll, unranked in the other
Overall, looks like UGA wins that one.
But you do have the better football team this year. I’ll give you that. And only that.
By MiamiFan
December 29, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
I didn’t see anything in the play of Jacory Harris that makes him a shoe in next year. As a matter of fact he had no sense of urgency at the end of the game when he had over two minutes, and moved the ball less than 15 yards. He was taking 30 seconds a play, rather than having the team up to the line each play. I think the Hurricanes need to bring in a new QB next season to get ready to play in 2010. It’s that or maybe the coaches job.
By Jim
December 29, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
auburns dysfunctional family.LOL
By Gator Nation
December 29, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
Hey Gator Nation
Actually you guys got dropped to #4 by Smart Money.
And lets not forget the higher SAT scores.
So far it looks like a draw to me. I think the tie-breaker should be the success of the football teams and definitley not the gymnastice teams.
By 3volpaul
December 29, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
Great coach available in Phixable Phil.
Any takers?
By Correction
December 29, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
Gator Nation Kiplinger is a measure of total costs, financial aid available, freshman retention rates and overall debt accumlated by graduation. The Smart Money study takes a ratio of the cost of tuition 15 years ago comapred to the avaerage salary of someone who graduated from the school at that time so to compare these two rankings is apples and oranges. UGA, GT, and Florida are all good schools and anyone should be proud to have graduated from any of the three. I thought this was a sports blog so lets talk about football scores like how bad Florida is going to stomp Oklahoma and not SAT scores and school rankings on irrelevant websites.
By Gus Malzahn
December 29, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
So autig thinks Kodi Burns has twice the talent that JPW does. The idiot also thinks that JPW always sucked and that he had a great year this year. Actually, JPW always had great passing stats since he started as a sophomore. I believe he set the bama single season passing record as a sophomore. If he knew anything at all he would have known that statistically JPW had his worse season as a 3 year starter this year. Kodi Burns is an option qb, not a very good one at that, and will never make it as a dropback passer no matter who his qb coach is. The guy just aint got it and the only reason he played this year is cause he was the least bad of the available Auburn qbs. End of story. Good luck staring up from the abyss the next 5 years Auburn fans.
By Steering
December 29, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
I would like to see a study on who the worst offenders are in terms of steering football players toward the easiest majors just to get them through school. From what I’ve seen Florida is the king of steering. I think 80% of their football team is majoring in the 3 easisest liberal arts majors of sociology, poly sci, and criminal justice, all of which fall under one dept. Not to pick on Fla but this is shameful.
By KnowItAll
December 29, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this
UF 42
OU 20
STOOPERS ARE GATOR BAIT!
By rok dawg
December 29, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Tony:
Looks like the Auburn folks couldn’t talk coach Searles into coming back to his old stomping grounds. You made a BIG deal out of the problems UGA was going to experience if either coach Searles or coach Garner returned to Auburn.
Not gonna happen!
So Pat Dye’s desire for a return to smash mouth football will have to wait until Auburn hires their next head ball coach, which by my calculations should be exaclty three years from now.
By the way, should Urban Meyer be worried about losing his offensive coordinator, or are coahing changes only a concern for UGA?
Just asking.
By Bull Gator
December 29, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Steering,
The only degree program that requires a lower overall college GPA than the three that you cited is a major in Education. Do want to denigrate the entire teaching profession as well?
Personally, I have no qualms with what discipline anyone wants to get their degree in at college. As long as they go to class, do their own work, and complete the necessary degree requirements, they’re totally deserving of their Bachelors Degree.
Just wondering, what is your degree in?
By athensdawg
December 29, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
NEWS FLASH 2018: NCAA APPROVES PATERNO/BOWDEN RULE.
Indianapolis: Today, the NCAA announced a new rule that will attempt to allow Penn State’s Joe Paterno and Florida State’s Bobby Bowden to continue their pursuit of the title of all-time winningest coach. Bowden, 89 and Paterno, 92; have been kept alive via heart lung machines for the last six months and still retain all brain functions and limited speech capacity.
Today, the NCAA approved regulations that will allow both coaches to appear on the sidelines and direct their team’s activity via the use of specially designed hospital beds. Representatives of Nike were on hand to demonstrate the new “coach bed.” The motorized bed will be painted in the team colors with matching sheets and pillows. It will allow each coach to remain in a resting/yet propped up position.
A Nike spokesperson said that this will give them maximum visibility of the playing field, while also not straining their limited heart and lung capacity.
The NCAA also approved the addition of two specialized assistants tht will monitor the condition of each coach, rotate them to avoid bed sores and change their bedpans on a regular basis during the game. Said one NCAA Official, “Those night time ESPN games can be brutal on the old guys, and we have to make sure they are comfortable.”
The bed will be available to the general public after the start of football season. Several rest homes throughout the southeast have already placed orders for the new units.
Spokesmen from both Universities said that they were excited about the opportunity that this gives both Bowden and Paterno to continue their storied carreers.
By G8R GRAD
December 29, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this
Steering:
Read the article in today’s AJC. The biggest gaps in SAT scores occur at the schools at which academic requirements are the highest. Hence, if UF (and, apparently everyone else) is to field a competitive D-1 football squad, it must recruit kids whose priotities have been excelling at sports rather than academics. Consequently, those athletes are not able to compete in the classroom with the general student body and therefore must be assisted in whatever way allows them to achieve what could be the most valuable result of their tenure at college - both academic and athletic success.
Does this come as a surprise to anyone?
By Cynic
December 29, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
athensdawg:
Now THAT”S funny!
By jabster
December 29, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
G8R GRAD wrote:
The biggest gaps in SAT scores occur at the schools at which academic requirements are the highest.
In other words, you can’t fall off the floor (although some nights I swore I was about to!).
By Bow Wow
December 29, 2008 8:51 PM | Link to this
UGA uses 1999 data regarding academics and SAT scores, and they still look terrible. Come on, Mike, tell us the truth.
By War Eagle
December 29, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Real excited about CGM hire, but can he put points on the board that Auburn has lack last 3-4 years? I am pulling for him and new Auburn staff of CGC to get Auburn back on track.. I hope Pat Dye and his cronies keep a level head and try not to pry with success again.
By Jimmy
December 29, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
CGM will get it together at Auburn. His offense next year will look like WVU’s spread. Kodi Burns will run way more than he’ll throw, ala Pat White. By the end of White’s career, he looked pretty good passing wise. CGC just has to hit the recruiting trail to surround KB w/ the necessary athletes to supplement him.
By sat king
December 30, 2008 6:05 AM | Link to this
Q: What does a typical florida football player get on the SAT ?
A: drool
By reckrider
December 30, 2008 8:18 AM | Link to this
IE’66, you are clueless. These numbers are totals for the season, not predictions for the Tech game.
Running back Charles Scott (1,109 rushing yards, 15 TDs), wideout Brandon LaFell (61 catches, 903 yards, 8 TDs), and defensive ends Rahim Alem (8 sacks) and Tyson Jackson (8.5 tackles for loss)
By GT
December 30, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
We like to talk about the two games that got away this year but Tech was very lucky to beat FSU at home this year. I think one of the reasons we got beat by North Carolina the following week was FSU took so much out of us. If they ever find a smart quarterback they are back to glory days.
Nix not only couldn’t handle clock management but how about down management. That sticking with one quarterback thing sounds familiar too.
Unless you are a real mob boss I would not want to be a coach in the SEC. I can’t think of a program that has been any good worrying about its fan base. What team has ever hit the big times with a home grown coach that played at his school? Spurrier is the only one that comes to mind and he was definitely not there to please the alumni.
And the SEC could make some extra money running a soap opera. What a great movie. All the jumping around from one SEC school to the next. I hear the coaches defending each other on the radio and television. Such and such got fired to soon. There is something too mercenary about a coach that is leading a pep rally in Mississippi one year and one in Auburn the next or maybe that was Arkansas and Mississippi the next or maybe that was LSU and Alabama or Florida and South Carolina. Maybe the heart is not in the situation as much as the money is in the pocket.
By (G)OBAMA
December 30, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
OMG…Malzahn…what were you thinking hiring him…he has only been a college coach for 3 years, after playing in 6 state championship games in HS…and what has he done in his three years…he lost the SEC champiionship game to Florida, sounds familiar…and had a statistical top 5 offense the other two, doesn’t sound familiar…BTW…If you hate him now…just wait and see how you feel about him when he plays YOUR team
By Otto
January 2, 2009 10:21 AM | Link to this
Maybe Malzahn will give Caudle the chance he deserves at QB. Tubbs man crush on Burns was sad.