Charles HuffAlabama is apparently hiring a running backs coach despite already having a running backs coach.
The Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger and AL.com were among the media outlets on Sunday that reported Mississippi State running backs coach Charles Huff will leave for the same role at Alabama. Joe Pannunzio was running backs coach for the Crimson Tide this past season after serving as their special-teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2017.
Huff helped Mississippi State's rushing offense finish second in the Southeastern Conference this past season, and his running backs did not lose a single fumble in 253 carries. He arrived at Mississippi State after four seasons as Penn State's special-teams coordinator and running backs coach, with his 2017 Nittany Lions running backs going all season without a lost fumble as well.
Saquon Barkley was Huff's prized player at Penn State, rushing for 3,843 yards, 5.7 yards per carry and 43 touchdowns in his three college seasons (2015-17).
According to the Clarion-Ledger, Huff interviewed in early December to become head coach at Akron, but the Zips ultimately hired Tom Arth, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach the past two seasons.
Alabama has yet to announce any hirings since the end of last season, with five Tide assistants having left Nick Saban's program. On Friday, multiple media outlets reported Kyle Flood would be the new offensive line coach and that Sal Sunseri was returning to Tuscaloosa for a role on the defensive staff.
There also have been reports Steve Sarkisian would be returning as offensive coordinator, a job he had during the championship game of the 2016 season against Clemson, and that former Tennessee head coach Butch Jones would be on the offensive staff after working this past season as an offensive analyst.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.