UCF football coach Gus Malzahn was involved in a car crash in Auburn, Alabama, on Monday night, a spokesman from the university’s athletics department confirmed.
Brian Stultz, who covers Auburn for the Rivals network, was first to report the crash in which another man was airlifted in a helicopter. Malzahn was not injured in the incident.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Malzahn was in Auburn with his wife, Kristi, to assist her mother. Kristi’s father, Wesley Otwell, died on March 23, she wrote in a Facebook post.
UCF held its ninth spring practice Tuesday morning. It was closed to the media, though offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and two players were made available for interviews afterward.
Auburn’s hiring of Memphis offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham has left some scratching their heads.
Paul Finebaum is one of them.
The SEC Network analyst joined The Roundtable on JOX 94.5 in Birmingham on Monday to discuss the move, which was announced by press release on Sunday night.
“Gus Malzahn doesn’t have any moves left,” Finebaum said. “By doing this – he could’ve brought in anyone in America and it wouldn’t have made any difference. His record next year will dictate his future. This is what he wants to do. I’ve always enjoyed the argument ‘why doesn’t Gus let his coordinators do what he hired them to do?’ You have to ask is that working?’
“It’s not. It’s the final roll of the dice. Gus Malzahn’s offense will dictate whether he keeps his job or not. The one thing I would like him to answer – and maybe he knows something we don’t – who is going to lead the offense?”
Memphis plays Wake Forest in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 22 at Legion Field. Dillingham is not expected to coach Memphis in the bowl game.
One of the names mention for Malzahn’s offensive coordinator position was former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, who was just named the coach at Liberty.
Finebaum said Freeze would have made sense at Auburn.
“I thought he was (interested),” Finebaum said of Freeze. “But talking to him on Friday, I’m beginning to wonder what was going on with other schools. I believe Hugh Freeze would’ve taken the Auburn job over Liberty.
“Being the head coach at Liberty doesn’t equal the offensive coordinator at Auburn in the college football poker game. It’s a settling position.”