Arkansas State Students Sound Off on Malzahn's Departure
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 4, 2012
Students at Arkansas State are just weeks away from finals, but on Tuesday night they were only studying one thing: Gus Malzhan's decision to leave after less than one year with their team to head to Auburn.
Despite a second consecutive conference championship and an upcoming bowl game, some Arkansas State students are angry with Coach Malzahn.
"He's kind of letting the team down," said freshman Daniel Siegel.
"We're proud and proud of our guys but just disappointing that once again our coach is leaving us," junior Michaela Kaberline agreed.
The one year wonder, seen as the Red Wolves' chance at revival, accepted the head coaching job at Auburn University on Tuesday.
"I was like, 'Really? He's really going to leave us?'" said Megan Tweedy, a freshman Red Wolves fan.
Despite the short relationship, it's looking like a bitter breakup.
"Gus, I love you but why did you do that? That's all I want to say," fellow student John Howland added.
"He said he was going to turn it around, but you can't turn it around in one year," Siegel said.
"You got behind these guys, you need to stick behind these guys for more than a year," Kaberline chimed in.
In a statement released by Auburn University, Malzahn was quoted as saying, "This is homecoming for me...I look forward to being reunited with the Auburn family."
"I feel as though you should go where you feel at home -- and if that's where he feels at home -- let him go home," freshman student Erin Davis said. "It's a big promotion. And you have to go where you feel is best for your family. An SEC head coaching offer, I'd jump at it if I were him."
"It's a big slap in the face," Siegel said. "When he came here he was like, 'Oh I'm from Arkansas' and everything he said he was coming home -- I don't know where his home is anymore."
It's made all the more painful because it's deja vu after Hugh Freeze bailed out after a year in Jonesboro during 2011.
"With Freeze, I thought, 'Oh yeah, we're changing events,' and then he left us. And then this year again we had a good season, we were all pumped up, and then here we are again and Gus is leaving us also," Kamberline said.
Despite the departure Red Wolves fans plan to keep rooting for the pack.
"I definitely think they'll stick around and root behind them in Mobile," Kamberline added.
"I think that's the best thing we can do right now," Siegel said.
"Red Wolves? Definitely, but forget the Gus bus," said Tweedy.
Administrators say they only learned of that decision this afternoon and are going to immediately begin searching for a new head coach.
Despite a second consecutive conference championship and an upcoming bowl game, some Arkansas State students are angry with Coach Malzahn.
"He's kind of letting the team down," said freshman Daniel Siegel.
"We're proud and proud of our guys but just disappointing that once again our coach is leaving us," junior Michaela Kaberline agreed.
The one year wonder, seen as the Red Wolves' chance at revival, accepted the head coaching job at Auburn University on Tuesday.
"I was like, 'Really? He's really going to leave us?'" said Megan Tweedy, a freshman Red Wolves fan.
Despite the short relationship, it's looking like a bitter breakup.
"Gus, I love you but why did you do that? That's all I want to say," fellow student John Howland added.
"He said he was going to turn it around, but you can't turn it around in one year," Siegel said.
"You got behind these guys, you need to stick behind these guys for more than a year," Kaberline chimed in.
In a statement released by Auburn University, Malzahn was quoted as saying, "This is homecoming for me...I look forward to being reunited with the Auburn family."
"I feel as though you should go where you feel at home -- and if that's where he feels at home -- let him go home," freshman student Erin Davis said. "It's a big promotion. And you have to go where you feel is best for your family. An SEC head coaching offer, I'd jump at it if I were him."
"It's a big slap in the face," Siegel said. "When he came here he was like, 'Oh I'm from Arkansas' and everything he said he was coming home -- I don't know where his home is anymore."
It's made all the more painful because it's deja vu after Hugh Freeze bailed out after a year in Jonesboro during 2011.
"With Freeze, I thought, 'Oh yeah, we're changing events,' and then he left us. And then this year again we had a good season, we were all pumped up, and then here we are again and Gus is leaving us also," Kamberline said.
Despite the departure Red Wolves fans plan to keep rooting for the pack.
"I definitely think they'll stick around and root behind them in Mobile," Kamberline added.
"I think that's the best thing we can do right now," Siegel said.
"Red Wolves? Definitely, but forget the Gus bus," said Tweedy.
Administrators say they only learned of that decision this afternoon and are going to immediately begin searching for a new head coach.
