Retiring coach Gus Malzahn lands a new role, shaping college football's future as he joins the influential CFP selection committee.
Former UCF head coach Gus Malzahn recently announced his retirement from coaching after 35 years of coaching and coordinating.
However, Malzahn will not be stepping away from the game completely.
On Monday, the College Football Playoff (CFP) announced Malzahn and former Cal head coach Jeff Tedord will join the CFP selection committee this Spring.
This group is in charge of determining the 12 teams who make the playoff field, while also seeding the top 25 throughout the season.
"The additions of Bryan Maggard, Gus Malzahn and Jeff Tedford will introduce strong, fresh perspectives to the selection committee as we enter our 13th season," CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a prepared statement. "Each brings a deep understanding of the game, a genuine passion for college football and a commitment to integrity and excellence. Their diverse backgrounds as university leaders, recent coaches and former student-athletes will complement our returning members and allow for a seamless transition."
Malzahn joins the committee after a lone season at Florida State University, helping the Seminoles jump out to an impressive start to the season, rising in the ranks and knocking off Alabama. But, the team struggled from that point on, finishing the year 5-7 (2-6 ACC).
Malzahn joined the Knights in 2021 and coached them for four seasons, leading UCF to three bowl games. He was known for his unique play-calling style and creativity within the offense.
He had his best season with UCF in 2021, leading UCF to an 8-4 regular season record before beating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl.
He spoke to media after the game about his excitement surrounding the program after the win.
“Yeah, this is just the beginning,” Malzahn said. “ I really believe it. We got big dreams. We got big goals. We can win the whole thing here and I think tonight was just the first step. Recruiting is going to go really (well) man.”
From there, his tenure at UCF went downhill. The Knights joined the Big 12, running into growing pains in a more competitive conference.
In Malzahn's final season in Orlando, UCF got off to a 3-0 start, including a 21-point comeback win over TCU. The Knights would lose eight of their next nine games, finishing with a 4-8 record and marking the first season in nearly a decade without a bowl game appearance.
Although Malzahn's tenure at UCF didn't end as planned, he truly cared for the program and will bring a unique style and perspective to the committee this Spring.
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