Gus Malzahn has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the UCF Knights. Now, he’s moved on to become the offensive coordinator of the Florida State Seminoles, and UCF is one of three open Power Four jobs.
What was a promising start ended unceremoniously, and the Knights are looking for a new head coach. Who could be on the list to replace Malzahn at UCF?
Replacement Candidates for Gus Malzahn at UCF
Malzahn saw the writing on the wall and landed on his feet at Florida State. His willingness to move to an offensive coordinator position sums up the probable issue with UCF’s hire in the first place. Malzahn is one of the best offensive minds of his generation, and elements of his Hurry Up, No Huddle offense are evident all around the country.
But Malzahn wore out his welcome at two different head coaching stops after hot starts with the Auburn Tigers and at UCF.
In the market for a new coach, I think UCF will look for another proven Power Four recruiter. That could be a winning head coach, but I’m not sure they’ll have the pull to lure a proven winner from another Power Four school.
I think they could go for a coordinator who can recruit the state of Florida. UCF’s recent lack of defensive success means they could go with someone on that side of the ball. That being said, the Knights won’t be married to one scheme or archetype and will likely swing for a big fish.
Shannon Dawson (Miami-FL Offensive Coordinator)
While someone who doesn’t fit some of the given criteria, Shannon Dawson is a name to keep an eye on. Dawson has decades of experience as a quarterbacks coach. He has been the offensive coordinator at four schools in the last 12 years, spending the previous two years with the Miami Hurricanes.
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Dawson’s work with quarterbacks like Cam Ward is turning heads, and if he wants to be a head coach, he will be a hot name in this coaching cycle. Dawson is a strong recruiter, but his ability to develop players is what would put him on the list.
G.J. Kinne (Texas State Head Coach)
G.J. Kinne recently signed a contract extension with the Texas State Bobcats, but rumors are that it doesn’t prevent teams from trying to lure him away. Kinne has history in Orlando, as he was the quarterbacks coach under Malzahn in his first two seasons with the Knights.
Kinne is one of the better offensive minds in the sport and is also a proven winner at the Group of Five level. He should be at or near the top of UCF’s list.
Alex Golesh (South Florida Head Coach)
Another name familiar to UCF fans, Alex Golesh, was the co-offensive coordinator with the Knights under Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, who preceded Malzahn. This would be an intriguing hire, as Golesh struggled this season with the South Florida Bulls after a promising 2023 campaign.
People in the industry think Golesh is an excellent head coach and if UCF could poach him from a rival, it would be a big deal. Golesh probably isn’t the top name on the list, but he’s worth monitoring as the coaching carousel gets in full swing.
Charles Huff (Marshall Head Coach)
I’ve put Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Charles Huff on a few of these lists, as he’s a great football coach in a bad situation. Huff has been at odds with the Marshall administration for a few years but keeps winning anyway. A parting of ways could be what both parties want, making Huff a hot commodity in this coaching cycle.
Huff has coached offensive line, running backs, and tight ends at various coaching stops around the country. Still, it’s his 31-20 record at Marshall that would have teams tripping over themselves to hire him.
Jamey Chadwell (Liberty Head Coach)
Despite a disappointing end to the Liberty Flames’ season, Jamey Chadwell will be a hot coaching carousel name yet again. The Liberty Flames head coach has an excellent track record and has slowly moved up from the Division II level to the Group of Five, winning at every stop.
It’s a matter of when, not if, Chadwell gets a Power Four job, and UCF might want to get out ahead of everyone else to lure Chadwell to Orlando.
Other Candidates to Replace Gus Malzahn
- Barry Odom, UNLV Rebels Head Coach
- Glenn Schumann, Georgia Bulldogs Defensive Coordinator
- Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State Nittany Lions Offensive Coordinator
- Jon Sumrall, Tulane Green Wave Head Coach
- Buster Faulkner, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Offensive Coordinator
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