How have former head coaches prepared Charles Huff for his first season at Memphis?

Charles Huff brings a wealth of college football experience to his new role as head coach at Memphis. Having served as an assistant at Alabama and held coaching positions at Marshall and Southern Miss, Huff is now looking to leverage the expertise of some of the game's elite minds to elevate the Tigers into a top-tier American Conference program.

Aiming for the Power Four

Huff is not just building a team; he is laying the foundation for Memphis to become a prime candidate for future Power Four conference expansion. Memphis has long been a subject of conversation regarding conference realignment, and by establishing a culture of sustained success, the Tigers hope to finally secure a seat at the table.

"Obviously we’re trying to move to the P4," Huff told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal. "So I wanted some P4 eyes on everything so they could say, ‘Ok, here are areas where you may need to improve or adjust if you’re going to go P4.’”

Consulting the Experts

To prepare for this transition, Huff has reached out to high-profile coaches including Brian Kelly and national champion Jimbo Fisher. These conversations have provided critical insights into navigating the modern landscape of recruiting and the transfer portal heading into 2027.

Kelly emphasized the evolution of recruiting departments, noting that they are beginning to mirror the scouting structures found in the NFL. According to Huff, the days of relying solely on student tours are fading, making professional experience in recruitment departments essential.

Fisher, meanwhile, has offered guidance on identifying and recruiting the types of players that thrive at the next level. For a program aiming to bridge the gap to a major conference, Huff noted that identifying undervalued talent is key: "How do we evaluate, what’s our metrics of evaluation of those tweener kids? What are the size parameters, what are the skillsets that we can’t coach that he already has?"

The Road Ahead

As Huff continues to build his vision, he expects to host other veteran coaches, including former Texas head coach Charlie Strong, to continue refining his approach. The 205focus.com team will be watching closely as the Tigers officially kick off the 2026-27 season on the road against UNLV on Aug. 29.