J.R. and Henry: Good-bye, Coach Malzahn
Arkansas football has been worsened today by the news that Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn is leaving Arkansas to be the co-offensive coordinator at Tulsa.
Tulsa!
Only at Arkansas can your team win the SEC West and your program be in total disarray.
At this point in the year, 15 days removed from the bowl game loss to Wisconsin, and a month and half after the end of the regular season, we were beginning to think that most of the rumors were false, or at least, overblown. You know, all the rumblings about unrest and discontent on the staff, all involving Arkansas folk hero Gus Malzahn and his employment as offensive coordinator. All of the arguments about whether Malzahn did or did not have control of the offense, and whether he was or wasn’t calling plays. Plus, there were all the comments from Houston Nutt consistently referring to Malzahn as “the high school coach,” to major media outlets including Sports Illustrated.
During discussions among friends on both sides all year, the talks always ended with “Well, we’ll know at the end of the year. If Gus leaves, then there’s quite a bit of truth to the rumors of unhappiness. If not, then it’s just a bunch of gossips with nothing better to do than to make up stories.”
Now we know. Because things have to be pretty bad if you’re willing to leave as the lone offensive coordinator of the SEC West Champion with a lot of talent coming back to take a “co-coordinator” job in C-USA. Malzahn’s not even getting a pay increase!
This is a sad day for Arkansas football.