UCF hires Malzahn as new HC

UCF hired Gus Malzahn as its new head coach, the team announced Monday.

"I'm thrilled to be the head coach at UCF, and I'm truly looking forward to being part of Knight Nation," said Malzahn. "It's exciting to be head of a program where the future is extremely bright. I will be hitting the ground running in terms of getting to know our team and everyone else connected with UCF. Our goal is to be ready to win championships."

Malzahn recorded a 68-35 overall record with Auburn over eight seasons. He was named AP Coach of the Year in 2013 after leading the Tigers to a BCS National Championship Game appearance in 2013 and 12-2 mark.

Auburn fired Malzahn after finishing third in the SEC West with a 6-4 record.

The 55-year-old joins athletic director Terry Mohajir as the new leaders of the Knights following the departures of head coach Josh Heupel and AD Danny White to Tennessee. Malzahn and Mohajir worked together at Arkansas State.

"When I started the search process, it became very evident very quickly that, based on the conversations I had with the players last week and what they told me were looking for, Gus Malzahn was the guy for the job," said Mohajir. "He has won at every level, and he has coached a Heisman Trophy winner and NFL draft picks. There has never been a better time for Coach Malzahn to lead this program than right now."

Malzahn will be tasked with returning UCF to its former domination. The Knights racked up a school-record 25-game winning streak during 2017-18, but they lost seven contests across the past two seasons.