Auburn AD: Gus Malzahn will return in 2019
Gus Malzahn will be Auburn’s head coach in 2019.
Auburn athletic director Allen Greene addressed Malzahn’s future with reporters Tuesday and confirmed that Malzahn will return for his seventh season with the Tigers.
“He’s our coach for the future,” Greene said per AuburnSports.com. “He’ll be the coach next year. He’s already proven that he can get through adversity.”
Malzahn has taken plenty of heat during his time as head coach. He led the Tigers to a national runner-up finish in 2013, his first season, but went 8-5, 7-6 and 8-5 in the three seasons after. Last season, Malzahn led the Tigers to an SEC West title, including consecutive wins over Georgia and Alabama down the stretch. The Tigers ended up losing the SEC title game to Georgia, but Malzahn signed a seven-year, $49 million extension as Auburn fended off heavy overtures from Arkansas to bring Malzahn back to his home state.
With an extension that lucrative piled on top of the expectations of a fanbase craving winning at the highest level, the team’s 6-3 (3-3 SEC) record this season, including back-to-back losses to Mississippi State and Tennessee in October, has made for plenty of tumult on the Plains.
But with a buyout in excess of $30 million, most expected Malzahn to survive the season. Greene, still in his first year on the job, confirmed as much on Tuesday.
“You expect [Auburn] to be successful more than a normal team,” Greene said. “When that doesn’t happen, it’s frustrating. We expect more. I know that we’re young in some positions. He [Malzahn] is going to continue to be a really good coach here for us.”
The Tigers travel to face No. 6 Georgia on Saturday.
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