Ex-Penn State Football assistant instrumental in Saquon Barkely’s recruitment hired as Marshall’s head coach

Former Penn State Football assistant coach Charles Huff gets his first chance at running his own program, hired by Marshall Football as their next head coach.

Huff, 37, spent three seasons as Penn State Football’s running backs and special teams coach from 2014-17, where he helped develop NY Giants eventual No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley.

"“He helped mold me into the player and the man that I am today,” Barkley told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. “I know one day he is gonna make a heck of a head coach, and I will be happy to see that come true.”"

That day has arrived for Huff, after spending one season on Joe Moorhead’s staff at Mississippi State and two years as Nick Saban’s assistant head coach and running backs coach at Alabama, prior to accepting the Thundering Herd’s top job.

A renowned recruiter, Huff was instrumental in Barkley, Miles Sanders, Ricky Slade, and Shane Simmons’ recruitments to Happy Valley along with Damon Payne, Dallas Turner, and others committing to play in Tuscaloosa.

It is impossible to discount Huff’s role in transforming the Nittany Lions’ running back rooms over the past five seasons into one of the most impressive in the nation.

Huff now becomes the 13th of Saban’s assistant coaches to land FBS head coaching jobs over the past 14 years. He replaces Doc Holliday as Marshall’s head coach, after Holliday produced an 85-54 all-time record with the Thundering Herd.