After 35 years on the sidelines, offensive guru Gus Malzahn has officially called it a career. His time at Florida State lasted just one season, but his retirement still sent a jolt through Tallahassee. Coming off a rough 5–7 finish and a second straight year without a bowl, Mike Norvell moved fast to fill the void.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Florida State isn’t looking outside the building. The Seminoles are promoting co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Tim Harris to offensive coordinator, keeping continuity on offense as they move forward.

The move makes a lot of sense when you look at the bigger picture. In his first season with Florida State in 2025, Tim Harris handled dual roles as pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach, and the results showed. Under his guidance, FSU finished 4th nationally in yards per completion (15.21) and 6th in total offense, averaging a hefty 472.1 yards per game.

He also played a huge role in developing the wide receiver room. Sophomore Micahi Danzy blossomed into a big-play machine. He led the ACC and ranked fourth nationally at 21.2 yards per catch. Duce Robinson wasn’t far behind, pacing the conference in 30- and 40-yard receptions. Mike Norvell has repeatedly pointed to Harris’ “complete understanding of the offensive scheme.” That in turn makes him the natural choice to keep things steady after Gus Malzahn stepped away.

While Malzahn’s 2025 offense led the ACC in total yards, the wins didn’t follow. The Seminoles finished 5–7, largely because of long stretches of inconsistency on the road. Red-zone struggles and slow starts away from Tallahassee, especially the letdown at NC State, cost them dearly. That’s where Harris’ résumé stands out. He’s already shown he can handle pressure.

When he took over play-calling duties for Malzahn at UCF late in 2024, the offense immediately caught fire, dropping 56 points and 602 yards on Arizona State. Malzahn also left behind a solid run-game foundation, which ranked 13th nationally in 2025. By promoting from within, Florida State avoids a full offensive reset.

Gus Malzahn calls it a career

For most FSU fans, Gus Malzahn calling it a career is a tough pill to swallow. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying he’s been one of the sharpest offensive minds in college football over the past two decades.

In his official statement, Malzahn made it clear this decision was about life beyond football. After more than three and a half decades on the sidelines, he felt it was finally time to step away and put family first.

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“After 35 years, it’s time for me to step away from coaching,” Malzahn said in a statement. “I am excited to spend more time with my family and focus on the next chapter of my life. Want to thank Coach Norvell for giving me the opportunity to coach at such a prestigious program. I will continue to follow Florida State. And I believe great things are ahead for the program under Coach Norvell’s leadership and for the offense under Tim Harris.”

Around the sport, Malzahn is best remembered for his eight-year run as Auburn’s head coach. There, he compiled a 68–35 record. The peak of that stretch came right away in 2013. Taking over a Tigers team that went 3–9 the year before, Malzahn engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football history. He guided Auburn to an SEC title and a spot in the BCS National Championship Game.

Ironically, that magical season ended with a narrow 34–31 loss to Florida State. Even so, Malzahn walked away with multiple national Coach of the Year honors. While he’s retiring at what still feels like a relatively young age, Malzahn was well rewarded for his long coaching career. He was set to earn $1.5 million in what ultimately became his first, and only, season at Florida State.