DAVE MCCULLEY

Bethel Sports Information

After leading the Bethel University Wildcat football program to its most successful regular season ever, head coach Brent Dearmon is leaving McKenzie to take a position on the University of Kansas coaching staff in Lawrence, Kansas.

Kansas is coached by former LSU and Oklahoma State coach Les Miles.

Dearmon will be the senior offensive consultant for the Jayhawks.

““It has been one of the greatest joys of my life to come back home to Bethel and help rebuild the program,” Dearmon said. “This place will always be very a special place to me and my family. Bethel molded me into the player I was, the coach I am, and the man God designed me to be. Bethel Forevermore.”

Bethel Athletic Director Dale Kelley wished Dearmon well and named another former Bethel player-turned coach as the interim leader for the program.

“We are happy for Coach Dearmon and this opportunity for him but at the same time we regret to see him leave,” Kelley said. “He did a marvelous job and the team was exciting to follow. The excitement around the program this past year was phenomenal. We wish him and his family the very best.

“At this point we are naming assistant head coach Michael Jasper as the interim head coach.”

The Wildcats made program history by going undefeated at 10-0 during the 2018 regular season. They also achieved the highest ranking in school history at No. 3 during the year. After falling to Baker University in the first round of the NAIA Championships the Cats finished the season at 10-1. It was the first time the Wildcats had advanced to the NAIA playoffs since 2012. The 10-game winning streak matched the most ever dating back to 2007. Bethel finished 10th in the final poll.

The Wildcats had the No. 1 NAIA scoring offense in the nation averaging 55.0 points per game. They were No.2 in the country in total offense at 540.3 yards per game.

The Wildcats had four selections on the 2018 NAIA All-America teams including the first, second and honorable mention squads.

J’ Kobi Reddick was named NAIA First Team All-American as a Specialist. He was No. 1 in the nation in punt return yards per attempt at 20.9. He had 355 yards in returns. Reddick returned four for touchdowns.

Devante Jimenez led Bethel in receptions with 34 with eight of those for touchdowns. He was named to the second team.