Florida State made official on Monday the hiring of Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator, confirming weekend reports that he would resign as UCF head coach to reunite with Seminoles coach Mike Norvell.
UCF had confirmed on Sunday reports of Malzahn’s exit but not his destination, and FSU had not made an announcement until Monday afternoon.
“I am excited to be here at Florida State and to help us win championships,” Malzahn said in a statement. “It’s exciting to work with Coach Norvell, who is someone I believe in as a coach and leader.”
Norvell, who served as a graduate assistant under Malzahn at Tulsa in 2007-08, said on Saturday night after the Seminoles’ 31-11 loss to Florida that he could not identify the new offensive coordinator until the hiring process was finalized.
Florida State, which is 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is ranked No. 132 of 133 FBS programs in total offense (270.2 yards per game). The Seminoles are 130th in the nation in scoring offense (15.4 points per game).
Norvell shook up his staff, including firing offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins on Nov. 10 after a 52-3 defeat at Notre Dame.
“I’m extremely excited to have Gus Malzahn join our staff at Florida State,” Norvell said in the school’s statement on Monday. “He has one of the most innovative minds in college football and a proven track record of developing elite offenses everywhere he’s been.
“His offenses have consistently showcased a tremendous running game combined with explosive plays through the air. I’m thrilled to work side-by-side with Gus again as we elevate the Florida State offense back to one of the elite groups in college football.”
UCF also endured a tough 2024 season, going 4-8 after losing eight of its last nine games. During Malzahn’s four-year tenure, the Knights went 28-24, including 5-13 in the Big 12 Conference the last two seasons.
Malzahn, 59, is 105-62 in 13 seasons as a college head coach, highlighted by a 68-35 mark in eight seasons at Auburn — which included a BCS title game appearance in 2013. He served as offensive coordinator and play caller when the Tigers won the national title in 2010.
Malzahn will be tasked with revitalizing a Florida State offense that helped produce a 13-1 campaign in 2023, when the Seminoles were denied a spot in the College Football Playoff. Over the last three seasons at UCF, his rushing attack has been in the Top 10 in the nation.
In his 19 seasons as a college head coach or offensive coordinator, Malzahn’s teams have averaged 447.7 yards per game, and three of his teams eclipsed 7,000 yards in a season.
–Field Level Media
