Jay Johnson, a former Kansas University assistant football coach, has been named offensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi.

Johnson, who had been the Golden Eagles’ running backs coach, replaces Rip Scherer, also a former KU aide, who was fired earlier in the week.

Johnson, a former quarterback at Northern Iowa, was KU’s quarterbacks coach from 1999 to 2001 under Terry Allen. Scherer was the Jayhawks’ offensive coordinator in 2001.

“Jay is a very sharp young football coach who is also an outstanding recruiter,” Southern Miss head coach Jeff Bower said. “I have all the confidence in him to lead this offense.”

Johnson was out of coaching during the 2002 season. Bower hired him to be tight ends coach in 2003, then shifted Johnson to running backs coach prior to the 2004 season.