The Walking Zombie Danny Sheridan takes his dig on Malzahn

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College football handicapper Danny Sheridan believes Gus Malzahn's days are numbered at Auburn and he's likely playing out the stretch during the 2019 season unless the Tigers impress on a grand scale.

During a recent interview with AL.com, Sheridan blasted Auburn's struggling offense — as former NFL GM Mike Lombardi has done in recent weeks — and placed the blame on the program's lack of development at quarterback during Malzahn's tenure.

Since appearing in the BCS National Championship Game to end the 2013 season, Malzahn is 21-19 against SEC competition with one finish inside the Top 20.

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“I would say (Malzahn) is an underdog to be the Auburn coach after the season for a number of reasons," Sheridan said. "He runs the same high school offense he’s always run. That was proven. Michael Lombardi, he said the same thing. He hasn’t developed a quarterback. Some people might say what about Cam Newton? Cam Newton came from junior college.

"What about Nick Marshall? He probably regressed. He came from junior college. Lombardi said, and I agree, he ruined (Jarrett) Stidham. He didn’t ruin him, but his high school offense (did.)”

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The Tigers face a major question at the quarterback spot entering the 2019 campaign as the spring practice battle between Joey Gatewood and true freshman Bo Nix has spilled over into fall camp. Malzahn has resumed play-calling duties in an effort to fix a unit that averaged just 389.9 yards per game last fall, 11th in the SEC and the fewest since 2015 when the Tigers stumbled to a 7-6 finish.

“He said he was going to take over and be the offensive coordinator,” Sheridan said. “To be polite, poppycock, BS, he’s been the offensive coordinator for six years. I said Auburn has accepted mediocrity. In the last five years, Malzahn lost five games (three times) during the regular season and four games during the regular season. One time, he lost 6 games.

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“When I read that crap where he says we’re rebuilding, we need to have a quarterback, my comment is where the hell have you been for six years? You‘ve had one quarterback. The only thing that has saved your arse is junior college and the transfer of (quarterback Jarrett) Stidham.”

Malzahn agreed to a contract extension after reaching the SEC Championship Game in 2017, but questions of his job security once again surfaced in November 2018 before an incredibly hefty buyout figure played in his favor. Sources confirmed to Auburn Undercover at the time that president Steven Leath and trustee Raymond Harbert, who represented Leath in negotiations with Malzahn, moved forward with their coach after an agreement on a reduced buyout was managed.

Auburn opens the 2019 season against nationally-ranked Oregon, a widely-considered one of the frontrunners in the Pac-12 race.

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