Brent Dearmon received a big promotion earlier this week when Kansas coach Les Miles made him the Jayhawks new offensive coordinator. Soon after Dearmon got that news, he received a congratulatory call from Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, his former boss.

Miles replaced offensive coordinator Les Koenning, a former Alabama OC in 2001-02, with Dearmon, a former Auburn staffer. The Jayhawks are ranked No. 102 in the country in total offense.

Dearmon joined the staff at KU after a one-year head coaching stint at Bethel University (Tennessee) where he produced the nation’s highest-scoring offense at any level in 2018. Before Bethel, Dearmon spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Division II Arkansas Tech, and two seasons as an analyst on Malzahn’s staff at Auburn.

Dearmon spent the 2013 season as a running backs analyst and the 2014 season as a wide receivers analyst at Auburn.

“Congratulations,” Malzahn said, in a conversation to air on a new episode of “Miles to Go” on ESPN+.

“Thank you, Coach, I owe a lot to you,” Dearmon said. “Like I tell you all the time, I owe a lot to what you taught me and I’m fired up, ready to roll.”

Malzahn replied, “I’m proud of you, man. You’re going to get it done. Just keep doing what you do, man. You’re prepared. You’ve been waiting on this moment for a long time, man. I’m just excited to see what you can do, OK?”

Dearmon replied, “Absolutely, Coach. Thank you again.”

Dearmon also reminded Malzahn that his family welcomed a new baby about two weeks ago.

“You’ve got a lot of positive things going on in your world,” Malzahn said.

Dearmon replied, “I’m blessed, Coach.”