Former UCF coach and FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn retires at age 60

Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn announced his retirement from coaching Monday.

The 60-year-old Malzahn spent last season with the Seminoles after serving as head coach at UCF (2021-24), Auburn (2013-2020) and Arkansas State (2012). He won the 2010 national championship as an offensive coordinator at Auburn.

“After 35 years, it’s time for me to step away from coaching,” Malzahn said in a statement. “I am excited to spend more time with my family and focus on the next chapter of my life.”

Coach Mike Norvell promoted co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. to be the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator.

Florida State led the Atlantic Coast Conference in total offense and rushing offense in 2025. Florida State had nine 400-yard outputs in 2025, including back-to-back games with more than 700 yards for the first time in school history.

“I want to thank Coach Malzahn for his effort and dedication to our program over the last 14 months,” Norvell said. “He did a wonderful job coordinating our offense and calling plays in 2025, and he has set a strong foundation for us to continue building on in 2026 behind the coordination of Tim Harris and the multiple other assistant coaches who are returning.”

Malzahn returned to the sidelines after being let go at Auburn in 2020, when former Arkansas State athletics director Terry Mohajir, recently hired at UCF, reached out about the Knights’ head coaching job.

Malzahn was hired on Feb. 15, 2021, taking over a UCF program that had finished 6-4 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

His first season with the Knights was met with challenge after starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a broken left clavicle during the final play of the team’s 42-35 loss at Louisville on Sept. 17. Gabriel would miss the rest of the season, before announcing he was entering the transfer portal on Nov. 27. The team would finish with a 9-4 record, capped off by a 29-17 win over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23, 2021.

In the offseason, UCF added former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to lead the offense. Plumlee would combine for more than 3,300 yards of total offense while guiding the Knights to a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.

The team would eventually lose to Tulane in the title game and Duke in the subsequent Military Bowl on Dec. 28, 2022.

UCF’s transition to the Big 12 was a difficult one in its first season as the Knights lost their first five games to start conference play. An upset win over then-No. 15 Oklahoma State on Nov. 11, 2023, was the only saving grace for the season as the team kept its bowl-bid streak alive at eight games.

UCF entered the 2024 season with a new quarterback in former Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson. Jefferson was expected to provide toughness and an SEC pedigree that would help the Knights improve on their Year 1 shortcomings.

But that never materialized as Jefferson’s struggles on the field eventually led to his benching after a 3-2 start. In search of a consistent starting quarterback, Malzahn played musical chairs, starting EJ Colson, Jacurri Brown, and Dylan Rizk over the remaining seven games as the team finished with a disappointing 4-8 record.

A day after the team’s season-finale against Utah on Nov. 29, 2024, Malzahn resigned in order to take the role of offensive coordinator at Florida State. His decision to leave, rather than face the possibility of termination, saved the school more than $12 million in severance costs.

“I want to congratulate Gus on a Hall of Fame-caliber career and thank him for his many contributions to college football,” Mohajir said in a statement.

“A true pioneer, his innovative offensive philosophy and high-tempo concepts changed the way the game is played and have since been widely adopted across the sport. We appreciate his leadership in guiding UCF through a pivotal period during our transition to the Big 12, doing so with integrity and a genuine commitment to our student-athletes. We are grateful for his impact and Julie and I wish Gus, Kristi, and their family all the best in their next chapter.”