Head Coaching Search: Gus Malzahn

In our last two articles, we talked about defensive coaches in Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles. Today we get to our first offensive coach. In Gus Malzahn, we have perhaps the hottest coach on the market. He is this year's Chip Kelly. Let's take a look at the head coach of the Auburn Tigers.

In 2010, Malzahn was the offensive coordinator and led Cam Newton to an undefeated season and a National Championship. After HC Gene Chizik was fired, Malzahn turned a team that hadn't won a single conference game the previous year into the SEC Champion and an appearance in the 2014 BCS Championship Game.

Although Malzahn actually started as a defensive coordinator for Hughes High School in Arkansas, Malzahn is known as offensive innovator, one who relies on the hurry-up and no-huddle to break the defense and exploit mismatches. It is designed, principally, to physically and mentally wear out opposing defenses.

In particular, Malzahn is not married to any particular scheme:

Rather than chase the latest trends floating around coaching clinics, however, [Malzahn and his offensive coordinator, Rhett Lashlee] have always built their offense around their players, in particular their quarterback. While many consider Malzahn a run-game guru, he has coached pass-happy offenses, run-heavy attacks, and evenly balanced offenses over the last seven years.

That is the principle appeal of a coach like Gus Malzahn. If you believe he can adapt his system to the National Football League as Chip Kelly has done, he is sure to bring a twenty-first century offense to the New York Jets. With a mindset of staying one step ahead of the curve, he may be the head coach this team so desperately needs.