They should. They should. All three were excellent college football players, mostly at Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Brown was the only five star recruit in Southern Miss history. What does each of them have in common? Tony Hughes recruited them all to his school of choice. He was fired on Oct. 28 as the head coach at Jackson State. This is Hughes’ third season. Hughes replied Friday morning that he wanted to be a coach again. I will coach again if someone will have me.” That last sentence – “if somebody will be willing to have me” – made me laugh. This is a good bet: Hughes will be hired sooner than expected. You can see his track record in recruiting and you will be hard-pressed to not hire him. There have not been many better recruiters in Mississippi football’s history. No one would forget Tom Swayze, the legendary Ole Miss football player. Bob Tyler and Bruiser Kinard would also be welcome to join the conversation. Hughes must be mentioned in the first sentence of such discussions. Hughes will coach again. It’s safe to assume that Hughes will again coach. Hughes stated that he was not ready to work behind a desk. Hughes stated, “I want to coach in the field and recruit. I love going into homes and building relationships. Although it isn’t for everyone, I find it enjoyable. Always have. Hughes claims that he still feels like he has something to give. He was offered assistant coaching positions at two Power Five schools last year. Sources tell me that State and Ole Miss made overtures. Hughes declined all interest and offers. He says, “I wanted to complete the job that I did at Jackson State.” “I thought they were close. They’re still close to me. A head coach has only so many opportunities. It was mine. It was a risky job. That’s what I knew. What happened at JSU? There are many sides to this story. I was curious if Hughes felt it was a good match for the job when he took it three years ago. Hughes’ story is cut down considerably. Hughes inherited a mess at Jackson State with a severely waning fan base and a depleted roster. He wanted to rebuild it with Mississippi players, particularly Jackson area players. He believes that he is doing what he tried to do. He says that he will never see the results of his labor. In the next sentence, he states that he is proud that John Hendrick, his good friend, has taken over and that he has a chance at winning the SWAC East Saturday at Alcorn. Hendrick was Hughes’ defensive coordinator in 2017. Hughes said that Hendrick is a “good man and a great coach.” He’s done a great job for me. He is doing a great job. Hughes is focused on his future. Through December, he will be paid by Jackson State. He will then be a free agent. My prediction: He won’t be a free agent for long. Hughes states, “You never know what opportunities will present in this industry.” “We’ll see what happens.” Dec. 19 is the early national signing date for football. Hughes states that this is the most crucial time of the year for college football programs. He says it almost wistfully. Dec. 19 is the early national signing date for football.