Southern Miss hired Charles Huff as its 23rd head football coach, announced by Athletics Director Jeremy McClain. Huff spent four seasons as Marshall’s head coach, leading the Herd to a 32-20 record, a 31-3 Sun Belt title win in 2023, and bowl appearances each year. His tenure included wins over No. 8 Notre Dame (2022) and Virginia Tech (2023), along with Marshall’s first 10-win season since 2015.
A proven recruiter and developer, Huff coached under Nick Saban at Alabama (2019-20), helping Najee Harris become a consensus All-American. His 19-year career includes roles at Mississippi State, Penn State, Western Michigan, the Buffalo Bills, Vanderbilt, Maryland, and Tennessee State. At Penn State, he coached Saquon Barkley, a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and No. 2 NFL Draft pick. A Hampton University graduate, Huff was a team captain his senior year.