It’s been quite the day on the coaching carousel with Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema named head coach at Arkansas and Arkansas State’s Gus Malzahn named head coach at Auburn.
It’s certainly a big name for Arkansas but an odd fit with a career mid-westerner. The Hogs have made a splash today with the name, and maybe the geography won’t matter.
The Malzahn hire is a little more easy to follow the logic. He was a big part of Auburn’s success in 2010, and players currently in the program were recruited to run his offense.
His departure from Arkansas State gives the Red Wolves two one-and-done head coaches who won conference championships and another coaching search for December.
Pitt coach Paul Chryst, a long-time successful offensive coordinator under Bielema and a Wisconsin native, will no doubt be mentioned as a candidate with the Badgers. If it worked out with Chryst leaving Pitt, that could have the Panthers with an interim or a new head coach for their BBVA Compass Bowl game with Ole Miss on Jan. 5 in Birmingham.
Denham Springs, La., native, Mississippian since 1989 with a stop in Meridian before arriving in Tupelo. Daily Journal beat writer since 1996, covering Ole Miss since 2002. Proud Northeast Louisiana alum. Follow me on Twitter @parrishalford and listen to Kory Keys and myself daily with The Ole Miss Beat on Rebel Sports Radio.
