Interestingly, UK opens the 2016 season by playing host to Southern Miss on September 3.
Dawson was at Kentucky for one season after coaching at West Virginia from 2011-14. UK hired Eddie Grant away from Cincinnati to replace him.
Dawson will run the Golden Eagles’ offense for new coach Jay Hopson, a former Southern Miss assistant who had been coach at FCS member Alcorn State. Hopson replaced Todd Monken, who became offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Southern Miss also hired former Florida State linebacker Derek Nicholson as defensive line coach. He had served in the same role for Hopson at Alcorn State.