NEW ORLEANS – With the additions of James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss, the Sun Belt Conference welcomes a quartet of new programs and head coaches heading into the 2022 season.
Curt Cignetti, James Madison
Curt Cignetti was named the eighth head coach in the history of James Madison football on December 14, 2018.
Cignetti is from a coaching family—his father Frank Sr. was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame after compiling a coaching record of 199-77-1 at West Virginia (1976-79) and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) (1986-2005) and his brother Frank Jr. is currently the offensive coordinator at Pitt.
In 11 seasons as a head coach at NCAA Division II IUP, Elon and James Madison, Cignetti has posted a 100-31 record with eight postseason berths. He has led the Dukes to a 33-5 mark over the past three seasons, including three-straight CAA championships and FCS semifinal appearances.
Cignetti is no stranger to the FBS level, where he spent 27 years as an assistant—culminating with his role as part of Nick Saban’s first-ever coaching staff at Alabama from 2007-10. Cignetti has also been an assistant at Pitt (1983-84, 1993-99), Davidson (1985), Rice (1986-88), Temple (1989-92) and NC State (2000-06). As a player, he was a backup quarterback at West Virginia (1979-82).
Charles Huff, Marshall
Charles Huff was introduced as the head coach of Marshall football on January 17, 2021.
Huff led the Thundering Herd to a 7-6 record in his first season at the helm in 2021, capped with an appearance in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Prior to ascending to the head coaching role at Marshall, he worked with the running backs at Penn State (2014-17), Mississippi State (2018) and Alabama (2019-20)—mentoring the likes of Saquon Barkley and Najee Harris.
Huff was a walk-on at Hampton University, where he spent time at fullback, tight end and guard before being named starting center and team captain as a senior.
Huff has also been an assistant at Tennessee State (2006-08), Maryland (2009), Hampton (2010), Vanderbilt (2011) and Western Michigan (2013) and with the NFL's Buffalo Bills (2012).
Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion
Ricky Rahne was named the head coach of Old Dominion football on December 9, 2019.
In his first season on the field in 2021, Rahne took a Monarch team that went 1-11 in 2019 and did not play in 2020 to a bowl game, finishing the year with a 6-7 record. Old Dominion started the year 1-6 and won five-straight to secure its second-ever bowl berth. The team became just the third in the AP Poll era (since 1936) to start the season 1-6-or-worse and go on to win six games.
Prior to joining Old Dominion, Rahne was a key contributor on head coach James Franklin’s staff at both Penn State (2014-19) and Vanderbilt (2011-13), helping guide those teams to bowl games in each of his nine seasons. Rahne has also been an assistant at Holy Cross (2004), Cornell (2005) and Kansas State (2006-10).
Rahne, a three-year starter a quarterback for Cornell (1999-2001), graduated as the school’s all-time leader in completions (678), passing yards (7,710), touchdown passes (54) and total offense (7,994). He was inducted into the Cornell Hall of Fame in 2014.
Will Hall, Southern Miss
Will Hall was introduced as the 22nd head coach of Southern Miss football on December 2, 2020.
A decorated head coach at the NCAA Division II level, Hall made four postseason appearances in six seasons at West Alabama (2011-13) and West Georgia (2014-16), posting a 56-20 mark. The Golden Eagles went 3-9 in his first campaign in Hattiesburg in 2021.
As a player, Hall was a two-time NJCAA All-American at quarterback for Northwest Mississippi Community College (1999-2000) and was the 2003 Harlon Hill Trophy winner as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year for North Alabama (2002-03). He will be inducted into the University of North Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 33rd class on September 24, 2022.
Hall has also been an assistant at Presbyterian (2004), Henderson State (2005), Southwest Baptist (2006), Arkansas-Monticello (2007), West Alabama (2008-10), Louisiana (2017), Memphis (2018) and Tulane (2019-20).
The quartet joins a group of head coaches that includes returners Shawn Clark at App State, Butch Jones at Arkansas State, Jamey Chadwell at Coastal Carolina, Shawn Elliott at Georgia State, Terry Bowden at ULM, Kane Wommack at South Alabama and Jake Spavital at Texas State and new hires Clay Helton at Georgia Southern, Michael Desormeaux at Louisiana and Jon Sumrall at Troy.