Former Arkansas assistant has lots of believers now
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
CHARLES GOLDBERG
News staff writer
AUBURN - Gus Malzahn is calling his return to Arkansas this week a "business trip."
Mario Fannin sees something more.
Fannin, an Auburn running back, says his offensive coordinator has been more intense in practice as the Tigers prepare to play the Razorbacks, a school where Malzahn broke into the college game after spending years as an Arkansas high school coach. Malzahn spent the 2006 season as Arkansas' offensive coordinator, and put up big numbers there, like he's doing at Auburn. But he left Fayetteville when the direction of the offense begin to slip from his hands.
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He landed at Tulsa, put up more big numbers there for two years, and then came to Auburn, where his offense is ranked fifth nationally in yards and scoring. He'll try to beat Arkansas with his game plan Saturday. The 17th-ranked Tigers are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. Arkansas is 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the league.
Pundits wonder if the game will be a shootout between the two high-scoring offenses. Fannin says Malzahn seems intent on holding up his end of the bargain.
"He's more energetic, and you can tell it's a matter of he wants everything to be perfect. So we understand that," Fannin said.
Auburn fans have fallen for Malzahn's fast-paced offense. Former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt did not.
Malzahn's return won't be a first. He faced the Razorbacks last year when he was at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane put up 528 yards, but Arkansas won 30-23.
"I got a chance last year to do that, so I felt that and all the distractions that come with that with friends and family asking for this and that," Malzahn said. "This is more of a business trip and the fact that I had that experience last year I think will definitely help this year."
Because of that, Malzahn's return is not the hot story, at least not in Fayetteville. He's been back, Nutt is gone and he has lots of people believing in his system now.
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