Roger Hughes
Encyclopedia
Roger A. Hughes is an American football
coach and former player in the United States
. He served as the head coach at Princeton University
from 2000 to 2009, and amassed a 47–52 record. He has been named the newest head coach at Stetson University
, which is reviving their program after a hiatus of more than 50 years beginning with the 2013 season.
and was a three-sport athlete at Crawford High School. He received a basketball scholarship to attend Nebraska Western Junior College
, where he spent one year, before transferring to Doane College
. He played golf and football as a tight end
there and graduated in 1982.
Hughes served as an assistant coach at Doane, Nebraska
, Wisconsin–Whitewater, Cameron
, and Dartmouth
. In 2000, he was hired as the head coach at Princeton University
. Hughes' best season came in 2006, when the Tigers finished with a 9–1 mark to share the Ivy League
co-championship with Yale
. In the preseason, Princeton had been picked to finish sixth (of eight) in the conference, and the team's performance earned Hughes consideration as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award
, which is given to the best head coach at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level.
Princeton finished the 2009 season with a 4–6 record for the third consecutive year. Hughes was fired the following day on November 23. At the time of his termination, Hughes had the sixth-worst record by winning percentage
of the school's 21 coaches. In 2010, former Boston College
coach Jeff Jagodzinski
hired Hughes to be the wide receivers coach
for the Omaha Nighthawks
of the UFL.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as the head coach at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
from 2000 to 2009, and amassed a 47–52 record. He has been named the newest head coach at Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
, which is reviving their program after a hiatus of more than 50 years beginning with the 2013 season.
Biography
Hughes grew up in Crawford, NebraskaCrawford, Nebraska
Crawford is a city in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1886 and was named for the late Captain Emmet Crawford who had previously been stationed at nearby Fort Robinson.-Geography:...
and was a three-sport athlete at Crawford High School. He received a basketball scholarship to attend Nebraska Western Junior College
Western Nebraska Community College
Western Nebraska Community College is a community college in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Its athletics teams are known as the Cougars.WNCC was previously known as Scottsbluff Junior College, Scotts Bluff County College, and Nebraska Western College....
, where he spent one year, before transferring to Doane College
Doane College
Doane College is a private liberal arts college in Crete, Nebraska, United States, with additional campuses located in Lincoln and Grand Island.-History:...
. He played golf and football as a tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
there and graduated in 1982.
Hughes served as an assistant coach at Doane, Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, Wisconsin–Whitewater, Cameron
Cameron University
Cameron University is a four-year, state-funded university located in Lawton, Oklahoma, that offers more than 50 degrees through two-year, four-year and graduate programs. The degree programs emphasize the liberal arts, science and technology and graduate and professional studies...
, and Dartmouth
Dartmouth Big Green football
The Dartmouth Big Green football team represents Dartmouth College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League...
. In 2000, he was hired as the head coach at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. Hughes' best season came in 2006, when the Tigers finished with a 9–1 mark to share the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
co-championship with Yale
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
. In the preseason, Princeton had been picked to finish sixth (of eight) in the conference, and the team's performance earned Hughes consideration as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award
Eddie Robinson Award
The Eddie Robinson Award is awarded annually to college football's top head coach in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The award was established by The Sports Network in 1987 and is voted upon by the division's sports information directors and selected sports writers...
, which is given to the best head coach at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level.
Princeton finished the 2009 season with a 4–6 record for the third consecutive year. Hughes was fired the following day on November 23. At the time of his termination, Hughes had the sixth-worst record by winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of the school's 21 coaches. In 2010, former Boston College
Boston College Eagles football
The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
coach Jeff Jagodzinski
Jeff Jagodzinski
-United Football League:-External links:*...
hired Hughes to be the wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
for the Omaha Nighthawks
Omaha Nighthawks
The Omaha Nighthawks are a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska, which plays in the United Football League, joining the league as an expansion team in 2010. For their first season, the Nighthawks played their home games at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium before moving to TD...
of the UFL.