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Malzahn, Petrino Starting Trend of Coaches Doing What They Enjoy?

With coordinator salaries well over $1 million a year, head coaches now going to coordinators to not deal with stuff
Andy Hodges|
UCF Knights coach Gus Malzahn questions a call during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday, Oct., 2024.
UCF Knights coach Gus Malzahn questions a call during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday, Oct., 2024. | Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — If you don't think college football coaches don't pay attention to what's going on nationally, you probably didn't understand what Gus Malzahn was thinking. Or why Bobby Petrino hasn't jumped on a chance to be a head coach again.

"The job description of a head college football coach has changed dramatically in the last two years with everything — transfer portal to collectives to agents and everything that goes with that," Malzahn said after stepping down as the head coach at Central Florida for the offensive coordinator spot with Florida State. "I'm just an old-school football coach."

He had a little experience against the Seminoles, even losing a championship game at the end of the 2013 season with Auburn on a late Florida State touchdown. Jimbo Fisher even accused the Tigers of stealing the signals and that was addressed.

Former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino did almost the same career move, leaving Missouri State to Texas A&M and now he is back with the Razorbacks. A lot of fans assume that means he's next in line to be the head coach, but nobody has asked him if he even wants to the job. He also never played in a championship game with the Hogs

Petrino's name was linked to Charlotte's search for a new coach last week, but nothing has come out confirming that. For all we know, based on Bill Belichick's decision to go to North Carolina, Bobby may have been there to meet with him and go over the situation and provide input. Coaching friends will do that.

It's nothing new. Back at SEC Media Days in 2014, I watched as Malzahn (then head coach at Auburn) and Florida coach Will Muschamp quietly walked into a little hidden sandwich shop in plain sight. Never have seen that before or since at that event and I've been to over 20. It was no secret Muschamp was on very thin ice with the Gators.

Just a little over four months later, he was being introduced as Auburn's defensive coordinator. I have no idea what they talked about, but you don't have to be a math major to put that one together. Especially if you don't believe in coincidences (and I don't).

For guys that just simply want to coach, it's becoming harder and harder for head coaches to do that. Off the record, several have told me they are frustrated they can't do that anymore. Whether that's actually working with the players (their preference) or even managing staff meetings talking about game plans, it's getting complicated to do that.

Head coaches now at the college level have to deal with raising money, listening to key donors and certain events that have nothing to do with coaching. It's exasperating for them and some are there simply to pad the retirement plan.

At some point, though, we may be seeing a trend of coaches still making an awful lot of money to do what they like. If they've made millions for a few yars and not completely blown it, they'll never have to worry about it again.

"I love coaching football, and head coaches, it's hard to do that a lot," Malzahn said, explaining his decision. "That had something to do with it. And then the opportunity and being familiar with Mike and having so much respect for this university, coached against this university in the national championship. I know what this place is capable of doing."

Alabama lost Nick Saban to ESPN because he simply didn't like the direction things were going with what he was able to do in his job and he walked away. The trick is to stay on the board and ride the wave, then step off just before hitting the beach.

Petrino may have found that at Arkansas, enjoying golf cart rides around the gated Pinnacle community north of Fayetteville in Rogers. His grandkids are usually with him and he seems more relaxed and comfortable than he ever did as head coach here from 2008-11 into the spring of 2012.

Now Malzahn is starting to build a decent coaching tree with Rhett Lashlee (a quarterback of his at Shiloh Christian on his football staffs for years) in the College Football Playoff with SMU and Mike Norvell (a grad assistant at Tulsa) now his boss at Florida State.

""I was the offensive coordinator at the University of Tulsa, and Rhett Lashley was my GA the year before," Malzahn said. "He decided to get married, and so I was looking for a GA and had some connections, and that's how I got to know Mike,. You could tell he had something special about him. He wasn't your normal GA, and he ended up being our wide receiver coach as a graduate assistant, which, at that point, I'd never heard of, but he earned that. So, we're really close, and I'm just really excited to be back with him."

Malzahn, who still has extensive contacts and family in Northwest Arkansas, is probably aware how Petrino feels just drawing up game plans, coaching quarterbacks and a little recruiting. That likely sounded like a good plan for a guy that's nearly 60.

That's about the age when you realize there are more years in the rearview mirror than the windshield and priorities get adjusted a little. Especially when you can really get to do what you love and making $1.5 million a year.

HOGS FEED:

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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