Gus Malzahn is a man obsessed. Football sits somewhere just below breathing and sleep on his daily to-do list. Other coaches have even accused him of creating plays with salt and pepper shakers during meals.
"I've got a one-track mind," Malzahn said. "So, yeah probably a lot of different things. It's hard for me to get out of my mind."
That obsession has served Auburn well.
Malzahn, in his first season as offensive coordinator, improved Auburn's points per game from 17.3 in 2008, 111th in the nation, to 33.3 in 2009, 17th in the nation.
"It was a great experience for me," Malzahn said. "Boy, I tell you what, my family loves living in Auburn. It's a lot of fun to work for Coach Chizik and work with the rest of the coaches on the staff."
Malzahn said he always knew he wanted to be a coach growing up. He said he knew he loved sports and enjoyed coaching boy's club while he was in high school.
After graduating from Henderson State University, where he played wide receiver and graduated with a degree in physical education, he got his coaching start as defensive coordinator at Hughes High School in
1991. He was named head coach the next year, leading the team to the state championship game in 1994.
After successful stints at Shiloh Christian and
Springdale High School, both of which Malzahn led to state championships, he was named offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas in December 2005.
Malzahn said he developed his offensive philosophy during his high school coaching days in Arkansas.
"So really what I did was I kinda put bits and pieces from other successful high school coaches in the state of Arkansas and just kinda gradually made it my own," Malzahn said. "Took different things from different people. That's who influenced me."
Arkansas, in Malzahn's first and only year in Fayetteville, made the 2006 SEC Championship game and finished the year 10-4.
He was named National Offensive Coordinator of the Year by rivals.com for his role in Arkansas' offense, which included Heisman trophy finalist Darren McFadden and the oft-imitated Wildcat formation.
"In '06 at Arkansas I'm sure we were the first to use (the Wildcat) at the college level," Malzahn said.
Tulsa was Malzahn's next stop.
He was named offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in January 2007.
Malzahn's Tulsa offenses led the nation in total yards per game in 2007 and 2008.
First year Auburn head coach Gene Chizik took notice of Malzahn's success and hired him as Auburn's offensive coordinator Dec. 28, 2008.
Malzahn said he has enjoyed his time at Auburn so far and looks forward to continuing building the program with Coach Chizik and the other coaches.
That is if the allure of a head coaching job doesn't pull him away.
"That is a goal of mine some day," Malzahn said. "But I'm not in any hurry for that to happen. We've got big goals and big dreams here at Auburn that we'd like to finish. AndI'dliketobeapartof that."
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