3 reasons Gus Malzahn to Arkansas is entirely possible
By Jack Crosby
Could Gus Malzahn actually make his way to Arkansas to coach the Razorbacks next season? It’s a little more possible than some may think.
At this point in the college football season, it seems pretty inevitable that Bret Bielema will not be the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks come next year. In his fifth year in Fayetteville, Arkansas is just 4-6 on the season with just one of those four victories coming in SEC play. Yeah, time’s up for Bielema and this experiment here.
It should also be noted that the recent announcement of athletic director Jeff Long, one of his biggest supporters, leaving the school doesn’t help his immediate future in any way, either.
So, with the assumption that Bielema has just about both feet out of the door, names are started to be floated around out there as possible replacements. However, one name was revealed on Thursday that sort of made everyone take a step back to wonder if what they just saw was real — Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn.
After demolishing Georgia last weekend, Malzahn and Auburn are pretty much in control of their own destiny as it pertains to the College Football Playoff. It’s crazy to believe that Malzahn could head off to coach the Razorbacks next season, right?
Eh, maybe not as crazy a thought as some may think.
A fresh start may be needed
While you could definitely call Malzahn’s time at Auburn a success to this point, the two sides have seemed to have quite the rocky relationship. Sure, everything was sunshine and rainbows in 2013 when he won the SEC and appeared in the BCS National Championship Game, but from there it hasn’t all been positive.
You would almost assume that anytime Malzahn loses a game that whispers come to the forefront that everyone wants him gone. Remember earlier this season when the Auburn lost to Clemson, the defending national champion and one of the best teams in the country, 14-9? Yeah, after that loss, Malzahn was placed firmly on the hot seat.
Auburn is a high-pressure job, and few know that better than Malzahn does. With the Auburn athletic department starting over following the departure of longtime athletic director Jay Jacobs, Gus may decide he needs to start over somewhere else as well.