Former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn is UCF’s first choice to replace Josh Heupel as the team’s football coach, sources told CBS Sports late on Sunday. Although sources close to the situation say Malzahn has not yet received a formal job offer, Jason Beede of 247Sports and Orlando Sentinel report that an offer has been made.
UCF hopes to announce its next football coach within the next 24 hours, sources told CBS Sports. It is not yet known whether Malzahn will accept the position.
Malzahn, 55, led Auburn to a 68-35 record (39-27 SEC) over eight seasons with the Tigers. He won nine games or more in three of those seasons, while Auburn fought the tough SEC West. Malzahn helped Auburn win a national championship as his offensive coordinator (2009-11) and also served as a coach in Arkansas for a year, going 9-3 with the Red Wolves in 2012.
UCF recently hired Arkansas State Athletic Director Terry Mohajir for the same position. Mohajir worked with Malzahn previously at ASU.