Life in the “Group of 6” isn’t easy in this day and age, especially when teams hit a certain level of success. Power schools constantly poach coaches and players every offseason, requiring coach searches and a rebuilding of talent.
That’s what Memphis went through this past offseason, and before Week 1 even kicks off, there’s speculation it will happen again soon. After Memphis’ 27-21 road win against UNLV in Week 0, analysts have already been throwing head coach Charles Huff’s name around in the coaching carousel.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg listed Huff’s name among other coaches to watch for the next big job opening.
“Could Huff land four FBS jobs in four years?” Rittenberg wrote. “Don’t rule it out if he wins big at Memphis this fall, which opened Saturday with a massive win at UNLV. Huff guided Marshall to a Sun Belt title in 2024, then left for Southern Miss, which improved by six wins in his only season there.
“The 43-year-old takes over a Memphis program that has vaulted its past three coaches to Power 4 jobs. Huff spent time in the SEC (including with Nick Saban at Alabama), Big Ten and NFL as an assistant. The Denton, Maryland, native would be a top candidate if Maryland has a vacancy this year.”
Maryland has had back-to-back 4-8 seasons, and head coach Michael Locksley is firmly on the hot seat.
And Rittenberg certainly isn’t the only one. Barstool’s Brandon Walker and many others took to social media to say much of the same.
“Charles Huff will be a big-time college football coach next year,” Walker said on his show and posted to X. “He’s a big-time college football coach now. He’s just on his way up.”
Charles Huff is the real deal
He was RB coach at Penn State when Franklin first got to Penn State
He’s a great communicator and recruiter, can clearly win!!
Charles Huff Coaching Timeline
Huff has had success at many places, but hasn’t stayed long. He led Marshall from 2021-24, where he beat Notre Dame and won a Sun Belt Championship. However, his contract wasn’t renewed.
Huff then went on to Southern Miss in 2025, where he won just one game in 2024. He turned it around in one season, leading the Golden Eagles to a 7-5 season. After sustained success across multiple stops, Memphis, whose head coach had moved on to Arkansas, hired Huff in December.
It took just one game — before the majority of programs even played a snap — to show he is a prime candidate for a power job.
How Likely is it?
It’s hard to say in this era of college athletics. Everything seems to move faster, including coaches and players.
Let’s not forget, it’s one game in his first season, and Memphis has at least 11 more games to play. But if the Tigers continue as they did against UNLV, it wouldn’t be shocking.
Memphis is no stranger to success leading to coach departures. Justin Fuente left for Virginia Tech after rejuvenating the program, Mike Norvell left for Florida State after leading the Tigers to the Cotton Bowl in 2019 and Ryan Silverfield left for Arkansas after consistently winning games.
It’s no secret that if Huff succeeds at a high level, the big dogs will come calling. But for now, Tiger fans, bask in the success and enjoy the season.
Memphis Football Tabbed For Potential Coaching Change in 2027