Running backs coach Savion Huggins was one of Matt Campbell’s outside hires when he assembled his staff at Penn State this offseason. Now, Huggins, a former Rutgers running back and New Jersey native, is helping Campbell and his largely Midwest staff make inroads in their primary recruiting hotbeds after struggling to land local talent in the 2027 class.
Those efforts have already yielded two 2028 commits, QB James Armstrong and cornerback Deonte Flemings Jr., both Pennsylvania products, and reportedly, Huggins has his sights set on another in-state prospect, Springside Chesnut Hill Academy three-star running back William Howard, and it seems he’s made a strong impression.
According to Tyler Calvaruso of Lions247, Huggins is a big reason Howard is high on the Nittany Lions. "I need a coach like that to really push me to my limit,” Howard told Lions247.
Priority in-state target William Howard is high on Penn State and a fall visit is in his sights.
— Tyler Calvaruso (@tyler_calvaruso) August 17, 2026
Running backs coach Savon Huggins is a big reason why the Nittany Lions are standing out.
"I need a coach like that to really push me to my limit."
VIP: https://t.co/615KAzaWZP pic.twitter.com/bTtZUPBAon
3-star 2028 RB William Howard is eyeing fall visit to Happy Valley
Penn State offered Howard in June after he attended a prospect camp in Happy Valley. As a sophomore, he ran for 1,544 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he is currently ranked as the No. 14 overall player in PA.
While Armstrong and Flemings are both more highly touted as top-five players in the state, Howard would still be a significant get, especially for a staff that landed just one of the top 15 players in the state in the 2027 cycle, though those rankings are still subject to change during their senior seasons.
At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Howard has great balance, good vision, and is smooth in and out of his cuts. That’s exactly what Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser prioritize at the position, and Howard has a frame that can easily add more weight to ideally fit the staff’s preferred style of between-the-tackles runner.
Huggins has embraced that style, and his ties to the area make him an ideal recruiter for this Penn State staff.
Matt Campbell’s outside hires can help him make inroads in the Northeast
Matt Campbell’s coaching staff and roster for his first season in Happy Valley are largely viewed from the outside as an amalgamation of Iowa State newcomers and Penn State holdovers. Of the latter, that claim mostly holds up under scrutiny, but Campbell cast a wider net to fill out his inaugural staff.
That net caught up former Boston College running backs coach Savion Huggins. Huggins replaced Stan Drayton, who went to South Carolina this offseason and originally filled the shoes of Ja’Juan Seider after he was plucked off James Franklin’s staff by Notre Dame following the 2024 campaign.
Campbell has been very conscious about integrating into Penn State’s culture and the Northeast. An Ohio native who spent six years at Toledo before spending 10 years at Iowa State, he has the Midwest ties Penn State needs.
However, bringing in assistants like former Nittany Lion D’Anton Lynn as his defensive coordinator, Huggins, and wide receivers coach, another New Jersey native who came from UConn, will and already have helped him make inroads in Pennsylvania and its important Northeast neighbors within Penn State’s recruiting footprint.
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