Phillip Marshall on Gus Malzahn

"Very Passionate"

 I like to think that even if you do not subscribe, this is a very nice post and expresses my view of Coach Malzahn and what he represents and what he will do for the program. Consider this a little bonus to today's events and for those without a subscription, it is worth getting if you love Auburn and not just football!


Gus Malzahn wasn't the first choice of the committee looking for Auburn's next football coach. Going in, he might not even have been the second choice.

But he was the final choice. That's what matters now. And don't try telling Chris Todd, Malzahn's first Auburn quarterback, it was anything but a good choice.
"I think Coach Malzahn will come in and do a great job," Todd said when the telephone caught him between sales calls Tuesday. "He's very dedicated to what he does, vey detail-oriented and very passionate. I think it's great."
When I asked Todd about concerns expressed by many that Malzahn won't stress discipline enough for a team that has had precious little of it, he laughed out loud.
"Coach Malzahn?" he said. "That's not ever going to be a problem. I don't think there is any question about that. He's always shown an expectation for toughness. Discipline has never been an issue. He expects a lot on and off the field. Even in practice, as far as small things like running on and off the field, he demands it be done right. That carries right on to the bigger things. He is very demanding and has very high expectations."
So there you have it from one who knows.
Auburn's search that began nine days ago finally concluded Tuesday afternoon when the committee of athletics director Jay Jacobs, Heisman Trophy winners Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson and highly successful businessman and former Auburn player Mac Crawford voted unanimously for Malzahn.
It didn't come easily.
They went into the weekend with Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher as their No. 1 choice. That didn't work out. They reached out to other prominent head coaches. How many they actually contacted, how many were interested, how interested they were is uncertain and probably will stay that way.
In the end, they chose Malzahn. And if he wins big at Auburn, it won't matter whether he was the first or last pick. If he doesn't, it won't matter if he was the first or last pick.
I can tell you what I know about Malzahn from having been around for three years:
He is very demanding of himself, his staff and his players. He is fierce competitor and extremely intelligent. And if you want to make him frown, tell him he runs a spread offense.
"The biggest thing with that offense is I think a lot of people have a misconception that he is running this spread offense and everything else," Todd said. "A lot of stuff is done out of shotgun, but it's a downhill, Power-I offense coming out of the shotgun.
"You still cater to big physical running backs people like to see in the SEC. Also, you have a really good play action passing game. That downhill running game is there. Coach Malzahn does a really good job of scheming and play-calling."
Malzahn will, no doubt, hit the ground running. There is a staff to be hired, a recruiting class to pull together and additional players to recruit. And there is a fractured team that must be made whole again.
Will he do it? Will he make Auburn a big winner? No one can know that for sure about any coach. But from what I've seen of the guy, I like his chances.