Gus Malzahn has been the head coach at Auburn since 2013, and the school was pleased enough in what he has accomplished to give him a massive extension last season. As far as one rival coach is concerned, that was a big mistake.
Lindy’s Sports annual college football preview was released this week, and it’s loaded with hot takes from anonymous coaches. One of those coaches decided to take aim at Malzahn, ripping Auburn for rewarding him for “mediocrity.”
“Auburn is paying Gus Malzahn $50 million [Malzahn’s seven-year contract pays him $49 million], and he underachieved again,” the coach said, via Jordan D. Hill of The Ledger-Enquirer. “If Nick Saban had Auburn’s talent, he’d have won national championships the last two years. Auburn had the best front seven in college ball last year, but the offense sometimes disappears.”
The coach went on to criticize Malzahn for micromanaging Auburn’s offense.
“If Gus would leave (offensive coordinator) Chip Lindsey alone, Auburn would be more explosive,” he said. “Instead, they lost to Central Florida (in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl) and got the crap kicked out of them by Georgia in the SEC championship game after beating Georgia a few weeks before. And they give him a new contract? For what? Mediocrity?”
It’s unclear if that enthusiastic SEC coach is the same one who trashed former Tennessee coach Butch Jones, but either way it’s a scorching hot take. Malzahn has only won one bowl game in his five seasons with the Tigers, but consistency is important when building a college football program. It makes sense that Auburn is putting its trust in him.
