It’s been over two weeks since a report surfaced tabbing Gus Malzahn as the front-runner for the North Carolina job. Since then, the Malzahn-to-UNC talk has cooled -- thanks in part to this video if you listen to some* -- to the point where a few observers felt the Auburn offensive coordinator was considered nothing more than a fringe candidate.
That likely wasn’t the case at the time, and it’s certainly not the case now as AuburnUndercover.com is reporting that Malzahn interviewed for Butch Davis’ former job on Thursday. The Huntsville Times subsequently confirmed Malzahn’s interview.
Everett Withers, who was named UNC’s interim head coach following Davis’ firing, is the only other candidate reported to have received an interview.
At least part of the reason for Malzahn being connect to the Tar Heels is new UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who held the same job at Tulsa when Malzahn was the Golden Hurricanes’ offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007.
Malzahn’s not the only member of the Auburn coaching staff Gene Chizik has to be concerned about losing, either. The Birmingham News reported earlier today that running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Curtis Luper is one of the finalists for the UAB job, while the Times reports that wide receivers coach/towel-waving coordinator Trooper Taylor (no relation) is in the mix at Tulane.
(*those “some” are incorrect; had nothing to do with anything other than Mrs. Malzahn coming off as batspit crazy)