UPDATE: FSU hires Tony White from Nebraska as next defensive coordinator

5 p.m. update: With National Signing Day rapidly approaching on Wednesday, Florida State coach Mike Norvell has locked up both his offensive and defensive coordinators for the 2025 season.

As Warchant reported first Monday morning, the Seminoles targeted Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White for that position in Tallahassee, and White agreed to a contract on Monday afternoon. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, it is a three-year contract.

Florida State hasn’t officially announced White’s hiring yet, but the Seminoles did put out a press release Monday afternoon confirming that Gus Malzahn will lead the Florida State offense.

Here is the release from FSU about Malzahn’s hiring:

Florida State has hired renowned offensive innovator Gus Malzahn as the football program’s next offensive coordinator, head coach Mike Norvell announced Monday.

Malzahn, who has 19 years of experience as a head coach or offensive coordinator at the FBS level, most recently spent the last four seasons leading the football program at UCF where his team produced a top-10 rushing attack and top-20 total offense each of the last three years. His extensive resume includes a national championship, another National Championship Game appearance, three conference championships and eight conference championship game appearances. He has a record of 105-62 as a collegiate head coach and is the only coach to earn 100 wins as an FBS head coach and as a high school head coach.

As head coach, he led Auburn to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game behind an offense that was the first SEC team to lead the country in rushing yards per game and only the second SEC offense to top 7,000 total yards in a season. As offensive coordinator, he directed offenses that showcased Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden. He has coached 17 1,000-yard rushers, including in each of the last two seasons at UCF, and three times has produced multiple 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. His 2007 Tulsa offense, with Norvell serving as his graduate assistant, produced three 1,000-yard receivers, a 5,000-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher.

Malzahn’s offenses have averaged 447.7 yards of total offense per game over his 19 years as an offensive coordinator or head coach. He has directed offenses that eclipsed 5,000 yards of total offense 16 times, with eight seasons above 6,000 yards and three totaling more than 7,000 yards. His offenses have shown the ability to adapt to strengths year-over-year, evidenced by eight years with more than 3,000 passing yards, including three with more than 4,000 yards passing, and seven seasons with 3,000 rushing yards.

“I’m extremely excited to have Gus Malzahn join our staff at Florida State,” Norvell said. “He has one of the most innovative minds in college football and a proven track record of developing elite offenses everywhere he’s been. His offenses have consistently showcased a tremendous running game combined with explosive plays through the air. I’m thrilled to work side-by-side with Gus again as we elevate the Florida State offense back to one of the elite groups in college football.”

Each of Malzahn’s last three UCF teams produced a top-10 rushing attack as the Knights ranked seventh in 2024 with an average of 248.1 yards per game after ranking fourth in 2023 and ninth in 2022. The 2023 team also was eighth in the country in total offense, averaging 487.0 yards per game, fourth in third-down conversion percentage and eighth in passing yards per completion. His 2024 offense ranked 16th nationally in total offense behind running back RJ Harvey who ranked in the top five nationally in all-purpose yards, points per game, rushing yards per game and rushing touchdowns.

In 2023, Malzahn led the Knights into the Big 12 and became the only program out of the four that joined the conference to reach a bowl game in their initial season. He ended his first season at UCF with a win over Florida in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl before taking the Knights to the 2022 AAC Championship Game with an offense that averaged 469.6 yards per game to rank 16th in the country in total offense.

“I am excited to be here at Florida State and to help us win championships,” Malzahn said. “It’s exciting to work with Coach Norvell, who is someone I believe in as a coach and leader.”

Malzahn is responsible for the first two 50-point totals in the SEC Championship Game, a mark that has only been reached five times in the game’s 32-year history. His 2013 team set SEC Championship Game records with 59 points scored, 677 yards of total offense, 545 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in a 59-42 win over No. 5 Missouri. The 2010 team set a conference championship game record with its 39-point margin of victory by defeating No. 19 South Carolina 56-17.

In 2013, his first season as head coach at Auburn, he led a remarkable turnaround as the program posted a 12-2 record, won the SEC championship and played in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. Malzahn earned the Bear Bryant, Bobby Bowden and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year awards and was named Coach of the Year by multiple national media organizations for his performance taking over a team that finished with three wins the season before. He was the third coach in SEC history, and first since 1947, to win the conference title in his first year.

Malzahn led the Tigers to eight victories over top-10 opponents during his time as head coach, including defeating No. 1 Georgia and No. 1 Alabama in a span of three weeks in 2017. Auburn reached the postseason in all eight of his seasons as head coach and won two SEC Western Division titles. He produced 32 NFL Draft picks in his time leading the Auburn program, with four first-round selections highlighted by offensive tackle Greg Robinson taken No. 2 overall in 2014, and 14 All-Americans.

In his first FBS head-coaching stint, Malzahn led Arkansas State to the 2012 Sun Belt Conference championship. The Red Wolves led the conference in rushing offense and passing efficiency and ranked in the top 25 nationally in rushing, passing efficiency, third-down conversion percentage, first downs, red zone offense and total offense.

Malzahn earned the 2010 Broyles Award as the nation’s best assistant coach while directing an offense that powered Auburn to the school’s first national championship since 1957. He directed quarterback Cam Newton to the Heisman Trophy and the Davey O’Brien, Maxwell and Manning awards before being selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. The 2010 Tigers averaged 499.2 yards of total offense, 287.2 yards of rushing offense and 41.2 points per game to lead the SEC in all three categories.

During his two seasons as co-offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Tulsa, Malzahn put together the best offense in the nation. The 2007 offense averaged 543.9 yards and 41.1 points per game before improving to 569.9 yards and 47.2 points per game in 2008. Tulsa led the nation in total offense in 2007 and ranked second nationally in total offense and scoring offense in 2008.

Malzahn began his collegiate coaching career as offensive coordinator at Arkansas, where he helped the Razorbacks reach the SEC Championship Game with the nation’s No. 4 rushing offense and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden. In addition to McFadden, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the offense featured first-round NFL Draft pick Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis, who was drafted by the Denver Broncos and played seven years in the NFL.

Before entering collegiate coaching, Malzahn was a high school head coach in Arkansas for 14 seasons. His overall record of 144-36-1 included three state championships. He led Shiloh Christian to perfect 15-0 marks and the 2A state title in 1998 and 1999 and directed Springdale High School to a 14-0 record and the 5A state crown in 2005. Malzahn was inducted into the Arkansas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Malzahn earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Henderson State in 1990. He began his collegiate career at Arkansas, playing wide receiver for the Razorbacks in 1984 and 1985 before transferring to Henderson State. Malzahn and his wife, Kristi, are the parents of two daughters, Kylie and Kenzie.

Gus Malzahn Coaching History

2025-               Florida State Offensive Coordinator

2021-24          UCF Head Coach

2013-20          Auburn Head Coach

2012                Arkansas State Head Coach

2009-11          Auburn Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach

2007-08          Tulsa Assistant Head Coach/co-Offensive Coordinator

2006                Arkansas Offensive Coordinator

2001-05          Springdale High School (Ark.) Head Coach

1996-2000      Shiloh Christian High School (Ark.) Head Coach

1992-95          Hughes High School (Ark.) Head Coach

——

12:45 p.m. update: As Warchant reported first this morning, Florida State is working to finalize a deal to bring in Nebraska’s Tony White as the Seminoles’ new defensive coordinator.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel subsequently reported, there are some “details” to be worked out before White is officially named to the position, and Warchant has confirmed that with a university source as well.

Florida State is working to make official the hirings of White as defensive coordinator and Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator before National Signing Day on Wednesday, but it is not yet known if that will happen in time.

Stay connected to Warchant.com for continuing coverage.

FIRST REPORT

Florida State is poised to add another big name to its 2025 coaching staff, as the Seminoles are expected to hire Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive coordinator Tony White as its next coordinator, sources have told Warchant’s Gene Williams and Jeff Cameron.

Under White’s direction, Nebraska’s defense currently ranks in the top 20 nationally for scoring defense (19.8 points per game) and total defense (315.4 yards per game).

The veteran assistant coach, who has been nominated for the Broyles Award each of the past two seasons, has held the titles of defensive coordinator and associate head coach during two seasons with the Cornhuskers.

Before that, he was defensive coordinator at Syracuse for two years, and he has coached cornerbacks and linebackers in the past, along with being a recruiting coordinator.

As a player, White started at linebacker for three years at UCLA in the late 1990s and 2000, and he was a team captain during his final season.

In 2023, White’s Nebraska’s defense ranked No. 11 nationally in total defense at 303.5 yards per game. His Syracuse defenses ranked No. 18 in 2021 and No. 21 in 2022.

Florida State’s defense finished this season allowing 385.9 yards per game, which ranks 87th nationally.

White will replace Adam Fuller, who was dismissed last month before finishing his fifth season as Florida State defensive coordinator. On Saturday, Warchant and other media outlets reported that former Auburn and UCF head coach Gus Malzahn will be FSU’s next offensive coordinator.

Neither hire has been made official by the university as of yet.

Stay connected with Warchant.com for more on this story.

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