Kentucky State’s Felton Huggins Is on the Verge of Becoming a Top HBCU Football Coach

HOUSTON — Thorobreds head coach Felton Huggins Jr. set the target for Kentucky State before the 2026 season launched: Make sure the SIAC Football Championship runs through Frankfort.

Huggins spoke with HBCU Legends ahead of today’s Edward Waters game about his program, future, and what comes next at Kentucky State.

Huggins left an indelible impression: He's on his way to becoming a great coach.

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The Battle for the SIAC may be today!

With five games into the season, the Thorobreds are on that path.

Last weekend, Kentucky State (4-1 overall, 3-0 in SIAC) defeated a thorn in team’s side, Albany State. Winning on the road against the Golden Rams would not be easy, since they have not done so since 2003.

In a hard-fought battle, the Thorobreds gained a 24-16 victory. Today they face the preseason conference favorite Edward Waters for a 2 p.m. ET kick-off in Jacksonville, Fla.

"We set our minds that the championship had to run through Frankfort. Point blank, period," Huggins said.

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From Zachary to the NFL

Huggins, a Zachary, La. native, graduated from Northeast High School in 2001. He began his college career at Grambling State and finished at Southeastern Louisiana, where he left as the school's career leader in receptions (162) and receiving yards (2,350).

He played six professional seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe, the Buffalo Bills and the Montreal Alouettes. He spent most of his pro career in Buffalo from 2007 to 2011.

Huggins credited Grambling legend and former NFL executive, James "Shack" Harris, then in the Jaguars' personnel department, with getting him to Jacksonville.

"He was one of the people that sent guys down to Southeastern to come see me," Huggins said. "And I ended up signing with Jacksonville when I came out."

Doug Williams also shaped his approach to football and coaching. Huggins said Williams shared stories from his time at Grambling State that mirrored what Huggins faced when he arrived in Frankfort.

"He told me, 'Hug, just stay the course,'" Huggins said. "And I knew we would get to where we need to go."

After injuries ended his playing career, Huggins set two coaching goals. The first was to become a Division I coordinator, which he did at Charleston Southern in 2019.

The second was to become a head coach. However, when the head coaching job at his high school alma mater opened, he did not get it.

Finally, Kentucky State hired him in February 2023 from McNeese State, where he coached wide receivers.

"I always say God doesn't make mistakes where he places you," Huggins said.

Rebuilding the Thorobreds

Huggins described the program he inherited as far from ideal. Kentucky State went 3-7 in his first season and 5-6 in 2024. In 2025, the Thorobreds went 9-3, set a school record with seven SIAC wins and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time. Huggins was named SIAC Coach of the Year.

He said the job demands a coach who can adjust quickly.

"There's going to be something as soon as you hit the door," Huggins said. "You got to be able to pivot to the next step and pivot the next direction and get it taken care of."

Huggins pointed to a 49-21 loss at Albany State in 2024 as the turning point. He was away from the team that week for his son's birth and drove to Albany on game day. Kentucky State jumped out early, then let the game go in the second half.

"We quit," Huggins said.

He told his players they had a choice to make about effort. Kentucky State won five of its last six games to finish 5-6 and carried that run into its breakthrough 2025 season.

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Four Keys and a Fifth Quarter

Huggins asks his players for four things every time they take the field: a competitive mindset, fun, enthusiasm and energy, and effort.

"Those four things equal the winning mentality," he said.

The program's motto is that it trains for five quarters, not four. Thorobreds players hold up five fingers as they enter the fourth quarter.

That showed in a 34-15 loss at Southern on Sept. 5. Huggins said his players walked toward midfield in the fourth quarter on their own to let the Jaguars know they were still coming.

"I didn't tell them to do that," Huggins said. "That's just the belief in our guys and the confidence they have in themselves."

Last season's losses still drive the team. Kentucky State fell to Grambling State and Albany State in 2025, and Huggins said the tiebreaker rules kept the Thorobreds from a rematch with Albany State in the SIAC championship game. Newberry then beat Kentucky State 45-24 in the first round of the Division II playoffs.

SIAC coaches picked Kentucky State fifth in the 2026 preseason poll, behind Edward Waters, Benedict, Tuskegee and Albany State.

"We know we don't get the respect that everybody else gets," Huggins said. "But each and every week, we go out there to try to earn that respect."

The Critical Road Stretch

Today's game closes a stretch in which Kentucky State played five of its first six games away from Frankfort.

Huggins estimated the team spent nearly 40 hours on the road over the two trips to Albany and Jacksonville. The Thorobreds left two days early for Florida.

"We want to be in control of our own destiny," Huggins said. "We don't want to leave our destiny up for chance."

After Jacksonville, Kentucky State hosts Miles on Oct. 10 for homecoming, Lane on Oct. 17 and Savannah State on Oct. 24.

The Thorobreds close the regular season against Morehouse on Nov. 7 in the YES HBCU Bahamas Classic at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau.

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Scouting Edward Waters

Huggins praised the spread attack directed by Edward Waters offensive coordinator Eric Dooley. The Tigers also feature running back Johntarrious Thomas, the SIAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

"He hadn't had a breakout game really this year, and we definitely don't want him to get a breakout against us," Huggins said.

Huggins called his defense the strongest part of this year's team, even after losing two all-conference performers, Jordan Thompson and Navy Curry, to Division I programs through the transfer portal. Defensive coordinator Earl Chambers' unit is built around one word.

"Our motto on the defense is violence," Huggins said.

He named Tray Blackmon Jr., Lawrence McConnell, Kendrick Curry and Roman Hernandez as players who set the tone. Kentucky State recorded five sacks and held Albany State to 81 rushing yards last week.

Two Quarterbacks, One System

Huggins is an Air Raid coach. He played for Hal Mumme, the offense's architect, at Southeastern Louisiana, and Mumme and his son, Matt, gave Huggins his first college coaching opportunity. Huggins added pro concepts from his time with the Bills and Jaguars, as well as from a coaching academy in Tampa under Todd Bowles.

Kentucky State plays two quarterbacks, senior Denim Johnson and junior Juan Gainous. Huggins said both can run and both can push the ball downfield.

"They both know the offense, and they've been in the system with me now going on three and four years," Huggins said. "I tell them each and every week, I want one of you guys to take the job."

Receiver Darius Cyprian, a Baton Rouge native, led Kentucky State with six catches for 96 yards at Albany State.

Developing Players

Huggins tells recruits he will find them a place on the field if they are open to it. Blackmon arrived as a running back and moved to defense. This season he also gets carries in the backfield.

Curry started at quarterback for Huggins before moving to the secondary. Huggins said Curry fully bought in during his second season on defense, which put him in position to move up to Division I.

"We recruit you to come here and play," Huggins said. "If you want to play and you open-minded, we'll find a place for you."

Beyond the Field

Huggins said his goals are a conference title and a national championship. He also wants to upgrade the program's home. Kentucky State added a new scoreboard last year, a new weight room is under construction, and Huggins is raising money for a new locker room.

He said academics carry equal weight. Huggins gets more upset about a missed class than a missed route, he said.

"You don't retire from football, football retires you," Huggins said. "When that day comes, our guys gotta understand we gotta be able to take care of our families and hopefully take care of our communities."

He called that mission "just as important as us going to win a championship."

HBCU LEGENDS PODCAST - FELTON HUGGINS JR. - GUEST

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