Darrell Hazell leaves Kent State for Purdue

Darrell Hazell has turned Kent State's successful season into a coaching move.

Hazell, who has been considered one of the nation's hottest coaching prospects this year, has agreed to terms with Purdue to replace Danny Hope, who was fired at the end of the season.

Hope finished the year 6-6, but was 22-27 in four seasons with the Boilermakers.

"Darrell is a great fit to build on our existing foundation," athletics director Morgan Burke said in a statement. "His leadership at Kent State, combined with his prior experience at Ohio State and other stops along the way, has prepared him to help us continue to move toward developing a championship-caliber program."

Hazell was 16-9 in two seasons with Kent State and led the Golden Flashes to the Mid-American Conference championship, the cusp of a BCS bowl game and the team's first overall bowl game since 1972.

Hazell, who was making a base salary of $300,000 at Kent State, has agreed to a six-year, $12 million deal with the Boilermakers.

It's unknown whether Hazell will coach in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. If he doesn't, that game against Arkansas State will feature two interim coaches. Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn left the school to take the head-coaching job at Auburn on Tuesday.

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