Meet Savon Huggins, Penn State's Next Running Backs Coach

Huggins played at Rutgers and worked with Bill O'Brien at Boston College the past two seasons.

A general view of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State missed on a chance to sign Savon Huggins as a running back. Fifteen years later, the Nittany Lions are hiring Huggins as their running backs coach.

According to multiple reports, first by 247Sports, Penn State coach Matt Campbell is hiring Huggins from Boston College as his running backs coach. With the hire, Campbell has completed his coaching staff, which includes five assistants from Iowa State and two retained coaches: assistant head coach Terry Smith and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig.

Here's what to know about Savon Huggins, Penn State's new running backs coach.

RELATED: What we learned about Penn State on Day 7 of the transfer portal

He worked with a former Penn State head coach

Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O'Brien watches warms-ups before a game against the Fordham Rams at Alumni Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Huggins, 32, spent the past five seasons as the running backs coach at Boston College, working with Bill O'Brien the past two. O'Brien retained Huggins to his staff in 2024 after the Eagles finished second in the ACC in rushing (2,584 yards) the previous season.

This past season, Boston College slipped to 15th in the conference in rushing (1,247 yards), though sophomore Turbo Richard rushed for a career-high 749 yards and nine touchdowns. At Boston College, Huggins coached a 1,000-yard rusher in Pat Garwo in 2021.

Something else O'Brien liked about Huggins: He's a New Jersey native who maintained strong recruiting relationships in the New York/New Jersey market.

Huggins was a New Jersey recruiting legend

Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Savon Huggins (28) sheds the tackle of Norfolk State Spartans linebacker Deon King (53) during the first half at High Point Solutions Stadium. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Huggins is from Jackson, N.J., where he was among the nation's top recruits at St. Peter's Prep in 2011. After rushing for 1,891 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, Huggins was the nation's fourth-ranked running back and 29th-ranked player overall in the 2011 class, according to 247Sports. But as the top-ranked player in New Jersey, Huggins chose Rutgers from a long list of interested schools that included Penn State.

Huggins ultiimately had an uneven four-year career at Rutgers, missing his senior year due to injury. He rushed for 842 yards and nine touchdowns over three seasons, producing one superb game against Cincinnati in 2012.

Filling in for an injured starter, Huggins carried 41 times for a career-high 179 yards in the Scarlet Knights' 10-3 victory. It was the only 100-yard game of his career.

Huggins transferred to Northern Iowa for his final season in 2015. He played a limited role, carrying 59 times for 232 yards while earning a Master's in sports psychology.

Huggins has moved quickly up the coaching ranks

Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Savon Huggins stretches before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Huggins began his coaching career in 2016 as an assistant at Somerville (N.J.) High. He worked with the Miami Dolphins on a fellowship in 2019 before returning to St. Peter's Prep as an assistant coach.

Huggins got his first college coaching job in 2020, when Lance Leipold hired him at Buffalo as a graduate assistant working with wide receivers. Huggins also worked with former Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.

After one season at Buffalo, Huggins was hired as the running backs coach at UMass by Walt Bell in 2021. But he didn't coach a game at UMass, as former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley hired Huggins to a recruiting role in August 2021. Huggins worked with Hafley and former BC offensive coordinator Frang Cignetti, becoming the running backs coach in 2022.

What happens next for Penn State? Stay on top of all the Nittany Lions news by subscribing to the Penn State on SI Daily Digest. The newsletter is your free daily window into Penn State sports.