FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Gus Malzahn has never coached football outside the state of Arkansas, but he has a national fan club.

The club is comprised of high school coaches from throughout the country. Each week, they call with congratulations for the former high school coach who makes them all look good.

A year ago, Malzahn was one of them. His last team at Springdale High School outscored its opponents 664-118, went 14-0 and won the state championship.

Now, he's the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas, just a few miles south of Springdale. As his new team contends for another championship, the high school coaches he left behind revel in his success.

"I've got good relationships with a lot of coaches around the country," Malzahn said. "They call often and say congratulations. That's a great feeling when you know a lot of people are rooting for you."

He's got a whole state behind him, too. The Razorbacks are 8-1 and leading the SEC West as they prepare for Saturday night's showdown with Tennessee.

Malzahn's contributions are measured in the stats as well as the record. Arkansas leads the SEC in rushing, ranks second in total offense and is third in scoring.

It's not all about the new coach. It's about a veteran offense that returned virtually intact from last season. And it's about a program that -- no matter who is calling the plays -- has been committed to running the football.

Malzahn made a name for himself in high school with a passing game, one that reached new heights with quarterback Mitch Mustain, who joined Malzahn at Arkansas this season. But Malzahn's philosophy and the program's have meshed nicely.

His emphasis in preseason was on players, not plays. He said we wanted to get his best players involved in the offense.

Again, his success is reflected in the stats. Arkansas running back Darren McFadden leads the SEC in rushing with an average of 115.3 yards per game and also has averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Arkansas running back Felix Jones ranks fourth in the conference with 79.3 yards per game. Jones leads the SEC's top-10 rushers with a dazzling 8.1-yard average per carry.

McFadden and Jones don't just alternate. They sometimes share the same backfield.

Remember how Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges found a way to get the most out of star running backs Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown two years ago? Malzahn has succeeded similarly with McFadden and Jones, both of whom are sophomores.

He also has found carries for redshirt freshman Michael Smith, who has averaged 7.1 yards in rushing for 247 yards. And don't forget about 238-pound fullback Peyton Hillis, Arkansas' second-leading pass receiver who also serves as a punt and kickoff returner.

Nobody in the SEC has done a better job of utilizing its running backs. But as Malzahn formulates a game plan for UT, he emphasizes that running isn't enough.

"We'll have to make big plays," Malzahn said. "Not only in the running game, but in the passing game.

"We've got to keep (UT) off balance. We've got to be able to run the football, but we have to make plays in the passing game. When we make plays early in the passing game, we really have an advantage."

That's where Casey Dick comes in. The sophomore quarterback took over for Mustain on Arkansas' second series against South Carolina last week. Dick completed 11 of 19 passes for 228 yards in Arkansas' 26-20 victory.

"Casey had been practicing well," Malzahn said. "When he got his chance, he made things happen.'

So has Malzahn.