Here’s hoping Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn TiVoed Saturday’s LSU-Auburn game. Maybe he could have peered through the dreary fog of his coaching hire going down in flames and seen Colorado’s future. No, Cam Newton isn’t transferring to Boulder.
But his offensive coordinator might.
As the speculation continues on when the ax falls on Dan Hawkins and who will be his replacement, the hottest assistant coach in America is Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.
Looking at a Colorado team ranked 11th in the Big 12 in scoring at 20 points a game, wouldn’t Bohn be interested in a 45-year-old guy with Malzahn’s resume? Two years ago, Malzahn left Tulsa to join Gene Chizik and took over an Auburn offense ranked 110th in the country in scoring, 106th in pass efficiency and 104th in total offense for a 5-7 team.
In two years, Auburn’s numbers have leaped from 17.3 points a game to 38.6, 102.05 in pass efficiency to 170.45 and 302.9 yards in total offense to 486.8. The Tigers are 9-0 and jumped to the top of Sunday’s BSC rankings.
Also, attention, Tyler Hansen: Malzahn inherited a shaky quarterback in Chris Todd, who went out last year and threw a school-record 22 touchdown passes. So it’s no surprise that Newton is ready to lap the field in the Heisman Trophy race.
Malzahn doesn’t need five-star talent to succeed. In his only two years at Tulsa, the Hurricane led the nation in total offense in 2007 (543.4 ypg with nine school records) and 2008 (569.9).
Sure, other schools will call. But this isn’t Jon Gruden whom Bohn is trying to lure away. Would an offensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference want to lead an FBC school with a lot of returning talent into the pass-happy Pac-12?
Bohn can only call to find out.
Not all coordinators are hot.
You have to wonder about the future of Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis after the Longhorns’ continued doldrums flat-lined in a stunning 28-21 loss to Iowa State at home.
The same unit that thrashed Nebraska for 209 yards rushing stumbled to 96 against Iowa State, whose defense will never be confused with TCU’s.
Coach Mack Brown, fiercely loyal to his assistant coaches, sounds like he’s losing patience.
“What our offense did for three quarters, having six points was unacceptable,” Brown said. “Something’s wrong with the offense. It’s got to get fixed.”
Speaking of hot seats.
Don’t be so sure that Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is safe just because the Wolverines are 5-2 and he found a spread quarterback in Denard Robinson. Robinson has a sore shoulder, and Michigan still must go to Penn State and Ohio State and host Wisconsin.
More than anything, however, if the NCAA’s investigation reveals violations, a university that prides itself in playing clean may boot him.
Bravo, Hilltoppers.
After more than two years and 26 straight losses, Western Kentucky finally has a real number under its victory column. The 54-21 win Saturday at Louisiana- Lafayette was its first since a 50-9 win over Murray State on Sept. 20, 2008, and first over a FBS team since beating Middle Tennessee State 20-17 on Sept. 20, 2007.
Said sophomore quarterback Kawaun Jakes, “It feels like someone just gave me a million bucks.”
The new longest losing streak belongs to Akron with eight.
Unfortunate words.
Rutgers spent an emotionally wracked week knowing defensive tackle Eric Le- Grand was paralyzed below the neck after defending a kickoff return the week before against Army.
Then the Scarlet Knights, with LeGrand watching from his hospital bed, gave up seven sacks in a 41-21 loss at Pitt, giving them a nation-high 33 in seven games.
Center Howard Barbieri wasn’t referring to LeGrand in his postgame comments, but the irony wasn’t lost: “The offensive line isn’t really a position. You have a responsibility. If you don’t do your job, someone could get hurt. We’re lucky we didn’t get someone hurt today.”
Fourth-and-short.
Tauren Poole’s 117 yards for Tennessee marked the first time Alabama had given up 100 yards to a player since Mississippi’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis in 2007, 42 games ago. . . . Nebraska’s win at Oklahoma State broke a 17-game road losing streak against top-20 teams. . . . With Baylor (6-2) beating Kansas State to become bowl-eligible, Duke (1-6) has the longest bowl drought at 16 years, which it had shared with Baylor.
