Little Rock News
Yes, Arkansas State University, there is a Santa Claus.
That early Christmas present in the form of the offensive coordinator of defending national champion Auburn is a stunning surprise for Red Wolves fans, who had been mourning the loss of Hugh Freeze to Ole Miss while basking in a 10-2 season and making travel plans for the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
Gus Malzahn simply wasn’t anywhere on ASU’s radar until a subtle inquiry by a Malzahn friend was made late last week. With Malzahn’s name connected with so many other head coach openings like Kansas, North Carolina and Ole Miss, neither Athletic Director Dean Lee nor the search firm that was hired could have imagined the interest. Word began to circulate Monday that Malzahn was a possibility, but it wasn’t until mid-afternoon Tuesday that anyone thought the hire could really occur. Disbelief continued until a deal was struck around 8 p.m., and actually it continues today.
So first, the $1.3 million question: why does Malzahn walk from national champion Auburn, all that money and the Southeastern Conference for Arkansas State? Here’s my take:
• He fulfills a dream of becoming a head coach. There’s an intrinsic value to that prestige.
• Speculation is that he’s getting a $4 million contract over five years, with ASU getting a really sizable buyout if he departs early (this will be known as the “Freeze Clause”). Yes that’s a pay cut on an annual basis, and yes that’s less than what he could have made at other colleges he was in discussions with. But there’s an intrinsic value to being at a college and in a conference where your odds for success are substantially greater. He wouldn’t have had that at Vanderbilt, Kansas, or maybe even North Carolina. Freeze’s jump to Ole Miss, combined with Malzahn’s move, will establish ASU as a key feeder for BCS job openings in the years to come.
• His relationship with Auburn Coach Gene Chizik was apparently strained. In many ways Malzahn overshadowed Chizik, and that can be a difficult situation.
• He can have a much bigger impact in a shorter period of time at ASU than he could just about anywhere else. Most of the Red Wolves’ potent offense returns, and Freeze had 17 recruiting commitments lined up who will be thrilled with the Malzahn hire. Much like ASU basketball coach John Brady, he instantly becomes the “name” coach of the Sun Belt Conference. At the BCS level, the competition is far greater and the more successful schools have big advantages.
• Jonesboro is a great place to live, and the ASU fan base is more energized than it’s been in 25 years. Malzahn will be energized by that, particularly after a tough rebuilding season at Auburn.
• His friend Hugh Freeze helped sell him on the notion — yet another reason for ASU to be grateful for his efforts. Freeze and ASU were very good to each other. Perhaps no one else was in a better position to sell Malzahn on the opportunities.
• Arkansas and the surrounding area are known quantities and comfortable territories for him from a recruiting standpoint. This gives him a big head start.
For the Red Wolves, this hire caps the most historic year in the school’s athletic history. While confident that several quality candidates were in the hopper to succeed Freeze, most fans and players were concerned about who could step in and carry on the new, enthusiastic environment that he brought to the table. It’s no small feat, but there will be enormous confidence in Malzahn’s abilities.
The financial commitment being made is substantial for ASU. Success has an amazing way of generating additional financial resources. The Red Wolves fan base will have to continue to growth in strength, both through contributions to the Red Wolf Club and through season ticket sales and attendance.
The Malzahn offense will be just as appealing to recruits as the Freeze offense. He is widely known as a guru on the spread offense, and high school coaches will now flock to ASU to study his system. His record for offensive output at Auburn, Arkansas and Tulsa is extraordinary. And you know recruits will enjoy talking about his experiences with Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and runner-up Darren McFadden.
Next issues of business: catching up on recruiting, hiring a strong defensive coordinator, and determining how to handle the hiring of a staff while ASU prepares for the bowl game. We’ll learn more about Malzahn’s plans at the press conference today. He needs to lead the Red Wolves in the bowl game and take advantage of the nationally televised attention.
Meantime, ASU will be bragging about this new Christmas present for many years to come.
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Jeff Hankins is the publisher of ArkansasSports360.com and is a graduate of Arkansas State. Find him on Twitter @jeffhankins
