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Gus Malzahn resigning as UCF coach to become Florida State offensive coordinator

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Gus Malzahn is set to resign as UCF head coach and is set to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State, On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed. The Knights’ season ended with a 4-8 record following a loss to Utah on Friday.

Malzahn is expected to become Florida State’s primary play-caller, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, who first reported the news. That means Mike Norvell will be giving up play-calling duties on offense.

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Malzahn took over at UCF in 2021 and found quick success. The Knights finished with nine wins in each of his first two seasons before making the leap to the Big 12, and they went 6-7 a year ago. However, UCF struggled this year with a 4-8 record, leading to questions about Malzahn’s future in Orlando.

Now, he’s reuniting with Norvell. The two worked together at Tulsa, and Malzahn said he “discovered” both him through their connection with Springdale High School in Arkansas. Norvell was a graduate assistant and later worked his way up the coaching ranks and is now at Florida State, which made a slew of staff changes amid a two-win campaign.

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Entering Saturday’s season finale against Florida, Florida State ranks last in the ACC in total offense with 273.1 yards per game. The Seminoles moved on from Alex Atkins and other offensive staffers following a blowout loss to Notre Dame.

Gus Malzahn last worked as an offensive coordinator from 2009-11 at Auburn before he returned to Arkansas as the Arkansas State head coach. Auburn then brought him back as head coach from 2012-20, and he amassed a 68-35 record and took the Tigers to the national championship in his first season at the helm. His departure following a 6-5 record in the COVID-impacted 2020 season took him to UCF to replace Josh Heupel, who took over at Tennessee.

This marks the second straight offseason a sitting Power Conference coach left to become an offensive coordinator. Chip Kelly did so last season, leaving UCLA to take over at Ohio State under Ryan Day.