Florida State’s regular season hanging by a thread and the Seminoles one win away from bowl eligibility, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn dodged questions about his long-term plans in Tallahassee on Sunday, delivering a response that has Seminoles fans and insiders buzzing with uncertainty.
Speaking to reporters after a 21-11 loss to NC State that dropped FSU to 5-6 (2-6 ACC), Malzahn was asked point-blank if his intention is to return as Mike Norvell’s OC in 2026. His reply? A measured, game-focused deflection: “Yeah… my intent is to help us get bowl eligible and win this game. That’s exactly what my focus is.”
The words, delivered with his trademark intensity but zero commitment, came just hours after FSU announced Norvell’s return for next season—despite back-to-back losing records and 13 ACC defeats over two years. For Malzahn, a 59-year-old coaching lifer who bolted UCF’s head job in December 2024 to reclaim his OC roots at FSU, the non-answer feels loaded. He’s engineered a top-10 offense (487.5 YPG, 7th nationally; 36.4 PPG, 17th), but execution woes—red-zone stalls and road inconsistencies—have capped the ceiling at mediocrity.
The Context: A Make-or-Break Week for FSU’s Staff Stability
Malzahn’s hire was Norvell’s splashiest offseason move—a $1.5M three-year deal to inject air-raid wizardry after FSU’s 2-10 nightmare in 2024. Paired with QB Thomas Castellanos (Malzahn’s UCF transfer), the unit exploded early (31-17 W over Alabama in Week 1), but fumbled momentum: Five losses in seven road/neutral games, with Castellanos’ reads faltering in short-yardage spots. Reddit’s r/CFB lit up with fan frustration: “Malzahn can’t run the plays for them,” one thread vented, pinning blame on execution over scheme.
The vagueness? It echoes DC Tony White’s parallel coyness—“I’m focused on the now”—amid FSU’s “fundamental changes” pledge. But Malzahn’s ties run deeper: Arkansas (his coaching cradle) fired Sam Pittman in September, and reports surfaced November 21 that he’s interviewed for their HC vacancy—his first SEC head gig since Auburn’s 2019 flameout. A Razorbacks return? Tempting: $5M+ salary, SEC homecoming, and a portal war chest to rebuild post-Golesh (per our earlier Arkansas buzz).
Malzahn doubled down on the “figure it out” vibe in a separate clip: “I’ve got to figure that out before this week, but I really feel strong that our guys are going to be ready to play and have a chance to break through our road problems.” FSU’s finale? Saturday’s 4:30 p.m. ET rivalry vs. 3-8 Florida (ESPN2)—a must-win for a .500 bowl bid, where Malzahn’s run-first tricks (Castellanos’ mobility key) could shine or sink.
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