Who will replace Gus Malzahn? Candidates for UCF Knights football coach

ORLANDO – No longer active after four seasons as UCF’s football coach, Gus Malzahn has a 28-24 record with three bowl appearances tempered by a 5-13 mark in conference play since the program joined the Big 12 , set up.

Malzahn, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported, will join Mike Norvell’s staff at Florida State football and take on the position of offensive coordinator and lead game manager. His departure leaves UCF one of only two open Power Four coaching positions on the market. North Carolina parted ways with Mack Brown earlier this week.

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That makes it one of the most coveted jobs on the market given the recruiting base, expected salary (Malzahn should make $16 million over the next three years), a recent successful career and a growing fan base desperate for college wants football playoffs.

So who might be of interest? Here are ten potential candidates, some more likely than others.

Who will replace Gus Malzahn? 10 UCF coaching candidates

UCF offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr.

Harris is the most sensible choice among UCF’s current staff and is being considered as a potential candidate for Florida Atlantic as well as Florida International if that job becomes available. Harris set the tone for the final four games of the UCF season, taking over for Malzahn and keeping a handful of newcomers and current players on the roster.

Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall

Sumrall, 42, is a proven winner at two Group of Five stops: Troy and Tulane. He has a career record of 32-7 and led the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference championship game in his first year as coach. Getting him out of New Orleans could prove to be a steep price to pay, but he is a rising star in the industry.

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GJ Kinne, Texas State head coach

A few weeks ago, the 35-year-old Kinne might have been the favorite. However, he reportedly agreed to a seven-year extension at Texas State that would make him the highest-paid coach in the Sun Belt. Kinne’s offense ranks sixth in the FBS in total yards (474.3 per game) and 15th in points (37.1 per game).

South Florida head coach Alex Golesh

Golesh, 40, is a familiar face — Josh Heupel’s co-OC and tight ends coach at UCF in 2020 — with proven recruiting chops in the Sunshine State. He led USF to back-to-back bowl appearances, but would he head to their mortal enemy on the eastern half of I-4?

Scott Frost, senior football analyst for the Los Angeles Rams

UCF enjoyed unprecedented success during Frost’s brief but spectacular tenure from 2016 to 2017. The Knights went 13-0 in his second season and won the national championship after defeating Malzahn’s Auburn in the Peach Bowl. However, the 49-year-old Frost posted a 16-31 record in five seasons at Nebraska, including a 5-22 mark in one-point games. He has not been involved in the college game since September 2022.

Andy Kotelnicki, offensive coordinator at Penn State University

UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir has a master’s degree from Kansas and served on both the football coaching staff (1993-97) and athletics office (2011-12). He saw firsthand the damage Kotelnicki’s high-movement offense can do when the Jayhawks put up 51 points and rushed for nearly 400 yards against UCF in October 2023. In Kotelnicki’s first season at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have the No. 20 offense in the FBS at 445.6 yards per game.

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UNLV head coach Barry Odom

Odom, 47, has turned UNLV into an emerging G5 contender with an 18-7 record over the last two seasons. If he could bring offensive coordinator Brennan Marion — and his innovative go-go offense — with him, that would be an even more enticing prospect. However, Odom posted a 25-25 record at Missouri and never committed to a top-30 national recruiting team, according to 247Sports’ overall score.

Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell

Chadwell, 47, has posted an .840 winning percentage over the past five seasons – split between Coastal Carolina and Liberty. He led the Flames to a New Year’s Six appearance in 2023, a first for Conference USA. Chadwell signed a seven-year contract in December 2022 worth more than $4 million per year and has no Power Four experience, not even as an assistant.

ESPN college football analyst Dan Mullen

Mullen, the 52-year-old former Florida Gators coach, would have an uphill battle ahead of him to win over some of the fans. But he recorded 10 winning seasons in 13 years in the SEC between UF and Mississippi State. USA TODAY’s Blake Toppmeyer suggested Mullen as a strong candidate for the North Carolina job.

Marshall head coach Charles Huff

Huff, 41, has restored some of Marshall’s former glory over the past four years with a 30-20 overall mark, including an 8-3 record this season that begins Saturday. In previous assistant stints at Alabama and Penn State, he developed a handful of elite running backs, including Saquon Barkley, Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr.

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