Arkansas just fired athletic director Jeff Long on Wednesday, current coach Bret Bielema is on one of the hottest seats in the county and the program has never won an SEC title.
Yet, it could be going after a current SEC coach with one SEC title under his belt, the 2017 SEC championship within his sights and has played for a national title this decade.
According to Bruce Feldman of FS1 and Sports Illustrated, several influential members of the Arkansas brain trust are pushing hard for current Auburn coach Gus Malzahn.
Have heard there's been lots of push among #Arkansas BOT folks on the HC front. Some big money ppl driving for Gus Malzahn. Pretty messy there & Jeff Long got swept under in it.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 16, 2017
That might seem crazy since Malzahn just orchestrated, arguably, the most complete game he's ever produced in the 40-17 thrashing of previously No. 1 Georgia. That win propelled No. 6 Auburn to a de facto SEC West title game with Alabama on Nov. 25 and put the Tigers in a situation that, if they win out, would most likely be in the fourth edition of the College Football Playoff.
But Malzahn went to high school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, played wide receiver at Arkansas before transferring to Henderson State and became a high school coaching legend during his time at Shiloh Christian High School and Springdale High School. He also got his start in college coaching as the offensive coordinator of the Razorbacks in 2006 and his first college head coaching gig at Arkansas State in 2012.
He entered this season on the hot seat at Auburn, that got cranked up to scorching after losses to Clemson and LSU in which play-calling and coaching philosophy were clearly problems, and the win over Georgia was his first over either the Bulldogs or rival Alabama since the magical season of 2013.
The departure of Jay Jacobs as Auburn's athletic director coupled with a new athletic director to work with at Arkansas could come into play, and make it more attractive for Malzahn to go "home" -- even though he's at a job where it's easier to win right now.
That, of course, might be complicated if the Tigers pull off the Iron Bowl win, beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and move on to the College Football Playoff.
