Former Auburn football head coach Gus Malzahn was called the best of the new Big 12 coaches by Heartland College Sports’ Bryan Clinton — who feels UCF is the AAC/Independent transplant to the conference best prepared for the jump.
“The Knights enter the Big 12 with the best head coach (Gus Malzahn) and the best quarterback (John Rhys Plumlee) of any of the incoming teams, instantly vaulting them to the top of this list,” Clinton wrote. “Offensively, the Knights should be dangerous despite the departure of receiver Ryan O’Keefe. On the flipside of the ball, UCF returns six starters but has a new defensive coordinator in Addison Williams.