Auburn hires Memphis' Kenny Dillingham as offensive coordinator

[Glasgow]

Auburn has hired Memphis offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham to the same position, the team announced Sunday night.

Dillingham, 29, replaces Chip Lindsey, who recently left Auburn to become offensive coordinator at Kansas under new coach Les Miles. Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn will be the team's primary offensive playcaller in 2019, according to a news release, although both Dillingham and co-offensive coordinator Kodi Burns will be involved.

Dillingham has spent the past three seasons at Memphis and was elevated to offensive coordinator this year after Darrell Dickey left for Texas A&M. He also has coached quarterbacks and tight ends under head coach Mike Norvell.

"Kenny is one of the rising stars in our profession, coaching two top-10 nationally ranked offenses the last two years," Malzahn said in a statement. "Because of Kenny's energy, intelligence and genuine care for his players, he's been highly successful coaching quarterbacks and is an outstanding recruiter, while working closely with Mike Norvell in developing one of the nation's top offenses."

Former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley were among those also considered for Auburn's coordinator role, according to sources. Freeze last week accepted the head-coaching job at Liberty.

Before Memphis, Dillingham worked with Norvell on Todd Graham's Arizona State staff. Norvell and Malzahn worked together under Graham at Tulsa.

"I'm very excited for the opportunity to join one of the nation's top football programs and work for Coach Malzahn, who has won a national championship and produced some of the top offenses in Southeastern Conference history," Dillingham said in a statement. "Coach Norvell speaks very highly of Coach Malzahn and the similarities of how both offenses work."