Marshall football coach Charles Huff, who was wrapping up the final season of his contract, is heading to a new Sun Belt destination after being named as Southern Miss' next coach.
Southern Miss announced Huff's hiring Sunday, with sources saying he is getting a four-year contract with a one-year rollover.
"I can't wait to hit the ground running in making this program something that we can all be proud of," Huff said in a statement.
Marshall, meanwhile, hired NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson to replace Huff. Sources said Gibson is getting a six-year contract.
The Thundering Herd won the Sun Belt conference title Saturday night, blowing out Louisiana 31-3 in Lafayette. That completed a dominant season for Marshall in league play (8-1).
Southern Miss, meanwhile, went 1-11, didn't win a game in the Sun Belt and fired coach Will Hall in late October.
Huff's move to Southern Miss isn't a surprise. With Huff in the final year of his deal, he had been involved in multiple searches as Marshall won the Sun Belt East.
Prior to this season, Huff turned down the opportunity to extend his contract at Marshall because of steep buyout terms and decided to coach through the deal, essentially betting on himself. He has led the Thundering Herd to high-profile wins at Notre Dame and over Virginia Tech over the past three seasons.
Once jobs such as Temple and Kennesaw State went off the board and Southern Miss' search went quiet, the sides were aligned to link up. Southern Miss is bringing in a coach with a 32-20 overall record and four bowl appearances in four seasons.
"As we started this search, we were focused on finding a dynamic leader who could get our program back to competing for championships," Southern Miss athletic director Jeremy McClain said in a statement. "Charles Huff has proven that he is a winner who can build a championship culture within the Sun Belt."
Southern Miss last made four consecutive bowl games under Larry Fedora in a run that ended in 2010. The Golden Eagles have been bowl eligible just once in five years.
Huff brings a wide range of experience, as he has worked as an assistant for Nick Saban, James Franklin, Dan Mullen and P.J. Fleck.