Memphis hires Charles Huff as new head coach

Memphis officially named Charles Huff as its new head coach on Monday.

The former Southern Miss head coach replaces Ryan Silverfield, who departed on Nov. 30 to take over at Arkansas.

Huff, 42, guided the Golden Eagles to a 7-5 record this season in his first season in Hattiesburg, Miss. Before that, he was 32-20 in four seasons at Marshall from 2021-24, getting the team bowl eligible in each of his seasons there.

"Early in our search process, Coach Huff quickly rose to the top of our list as a dynamic leader with a proven track record of building strong, competitive programs," Memphis athletic director Ed Scott said in a statement. "He brings a championship mindset, tremendous drive, and more than 20 years of experience working alongside some of the top coaches in college football."

Huff was the architect of a dramatic turnaround in 2025, as Southern Miss went 5-3 in the Sun Belt Conference after going 0-8 in 2024 (1-11 overall). The Golden Eagles will meet Western Kentucky in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 23.

Memphis is 8-4 this season and will make its fourth consecutive bowl appearance on Dec. 19 against NC State in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

"My family and I are so fired up about this opportunity," Huff said. "The city of Memphis, the leadership at the University and the level of consistency the football program has had over the recent years is incredible. I would like to thank University President Dr. Bill Hardgrave, Athletics Director Dr. Ed Scott, and their entire team who has instilled their faith in me to lead this outstanding program. To the city of Memphis and Tiger Nation, it's time to STAND UP! To the players and administration, it's go time!"

Huff was an assistant head coach and running backs coach at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2019-20 before taking the job at Marshall. His assistant coaching stops also include Mississippi State (2018) and Penn State (2014-17).

--Field Level Media