When Les Miles was originally hired to be head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks in mid-November he set out to hire the best offensive coordinator he could. In early December Chip Lindsey was named offensive coordinator. Over the course of his four-year contract, Lindsey was scheduled to make $2.65 million (an average of $665,000 per year).
In early January Chip left to become head coach at Troy.
Shortly thereafter Les Miles hired Les Keonning as his new offensive coordinator, with Kansas giving Keonning a five-year contract paying him $500,000 per year.
Six weeks into their first season together Les Miles & Jeff Long decided Keonning was no longer the man to lead the Jayhawk offense.
Miles turned the keys to the offense over to Brent Dearmon who was promoted from analyst to offensive coordinator. Dearmon's contract, well the dollars involved at least, is quite different from either Chip Lindsey's or Les Keonning's however. For his work, Dearmon is scheduled to be paid $250,000 per year for each of his first two seasons. Kansas holds an option, which they can extend one year at a time, for up to four additional years at the same rate of pay. Should Dearmon opt to leave at any time for a better job he would owe Kansas $500,000 (two year's salary!). Should Kansas decide they need to bring someone else in, Dearmon would receive nothing more than what is remaining under the contract in place at that time. Given that this likely wouldn't be triggered until near the end of any given season, the amount he would likely receive in such a scenario is next to nothing.
Locking up a young OC at $250,000 per year for six years, and owing him next to nothing should you decide he isn't the right guy; man Jeff Long can do some negotiating.
Link to Dearmon's contract