Arkansas Razorbacks can end two-decade wait, hire ex-Auburn Tigers football coach instead of Bobby Petrino

Arkansas Razorbacks can end two-decade wait, hire ex-Auburn Tigers football coach instead of Bobby Petrino originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Arkansas Razorbacks fired former head football coach Sam Pittman on Sunday, following an embarrassing 56-13 defeat to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Fayetteville. Bobby Petrino will replace him on an interim basis, but there’s likely going to be an expansive coaching search to find a more permanent replacement.

USA Today’s Erick Smith floated former Auburn Tigers football coach Gus Malzahn, the national championship offensive coordinator under Gene Chizik, who landed Cam Newton from the Florida Gators in the transfer portal, as a potential replacement.

Malzahn and Arkansas have been linked for a long time, as Smith notes. The Fort Smith Christian grad was a Razorback receiver before finishing his playing career with the Division II Henderson State Reddies. Malzahn began his coaching career with the Hughes Blue Devils in East Arkansas, was the offensive coordinator for the Hogs in 2006, and coached the Arkansas State Red Wolves in 2012, the year before taking over on the Plains full-time.

“A name consistently connected with the Arkansas job for two decades, Malzahn has only coached one season at the school after successful coaching stints at multiple high school programs in the state. That tenure as the Razorbacks offensive coordinator in 2006 preceded similar jobs at Tulsa and Auburn. He is best known for his time as Auburn head coach when he took the Tigers to the Bowl Championship Series title game in his first season before departing after his eighth year. Malzahn spent four years at Central Florida before moving to his current job with Florida State last offseason. With 105 wins and 10 bowl appearances, he's an experienced hand with Arkansas roots,” Smith wrote.

Malzahn’s offensive performance against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Florida State Seminoles’ 31-17 Week 1 victory nearly singlehandedly earned him consideration for many head coaching jobs during the next cycle.

His successful run in East Central Alabama with the Tigers proves he can maintain a winning culture, even if many Auburn fans grew frustrated at the team’s inability to win the SEC title and make the College Football Playoff. How bad the Tigers have been without Malzahn, with both Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze, has helped his case.

We’ll see if Arkansas AD Hunter Yuracheck wants to end a two-decade wait to finally make Malzahn the Hogs’ headman.

Auburn may be looking for him as well if they pull the trigger on firing Freeze.