Steven Hicks

Assistant Head Football Coach -- Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers

Steven Hicks joined the Huntingdon football staff in 2004, was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2006 and has been a part of all 151 wins in program history. In addition to his responsibilities as defensive coordinator, Hicks also coaches linebackers.

Under Hicks’ guidance, the defense has helped the Hawks earn seven NCAA playoff appearances and seven USA South Athletic Conference championships.

2022 claimed a four-peat in conference championships for the Hawks as they again posted another 8-0 undefeated conference record and another trip to the NCAA playoffs to take on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

In 2021, the team posted an undefeated season in conference play going 7-0 and an NCAA appearance against Birmingham-Southern.

In 2020, the Hawks season was cut short due to COVID 19 but not before they were able to claim the USA South Conference Championship with an overall record of 3-1.

In 2019, the Hawks recorded one shutout and held three opponents to 10 points or less in winning their fourth conference title in five seasons. The defense set the program record for yards lost on sacks (226), tied the program record for forced fumbles in a season (14) and recorded the second most fumble recoveries in a season (14) in Hawks’ history and the third most yards lost on tackles for loss (331).

In 2018, the unit recorded one shutout and held three of its final five opponents to 17 points or less. The 2017 conference championship defense held six teams to 17 points or less, including four opponents to 10 points or less. The Hawks allowed just 205 passing yards per game, the second best total in program history.

The 2016 Hawks led the conference in sacks and fumble recoveries and were second in points allowed as Huntingdon won back-to-back conference titles. The 15 fumble recoveries were the most in Huntingdon history. The unit held four opponents to 14 points or less, held three opponents to 33 yards rushing or less and posted one shutout.

In 2015, the conference champion Hawks led the USA South in total offensive yards allowed per game and rushing yards allowed per game and were second with 24.1 points allowed per game. The defense also led the conference with 18 interceptions and 32 sacks.

The 2014 defense ranked second in the USA South in yards allowed per game and points allowed per game. The unit also produced 14 interceptions, then the fourth most in Huntingdon history.

In 2012, the Hawks ranked fifth in Division III with 9.2 tackles for loss per game and eighth in sacks with 3.3 per game. The 2012 defense became the third in program history to record at least 30 sacks and also had 83 tackles for loss and 12 forced fumbles.

In 2011, the Hawks ranked 12th in Division III in tackles for loss and forced 19 turnovers and set the Huntingdon record for sacks in a season with 36. Huntingdon held opponents to less than 100 yards rushing in six games and turned in two of the top five performances in program history.

The 2009 defense set the Huntingdon mark for interceptions with 23 for 319 yards and the 2008 unit posted three shutouts, forced a program-best 14 forced fumbles and set the program record for fewest points allowed in a season with 158 (15.8 points per game). In 2007, the Hawks set program records for tackles for loss (101) and yards lost on tackles for loss (375).

In addition to team success, several defensive players have earned recognition for their play. The program has produced six defensive players who earned All-American recognition, 17 All-Region selections, two USA South Defensive Players of the Year, three USA South Defensive Rookies of the Year and 36 All-Conference performers in the USA South (2013-present) and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (2008)

Defensive tackle D.J. Chappell became the first Hawk to earn first-team All-American honors in 2012, earning first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, AP and D3football.com. Chappell, who was an honorable mention All-American in 2011, was also a two-time first-team All-South Region selection.

Linebacker Trey Hayes, a second-team preseason All-American as a senior, was named second-team All-America by the AFCA in 2018 and defensive back Anthony White was named second-team AP Little All-America in 2015.

White and defensive lineman Heath McCray were both named honorable mention All-American by D3football.com in 2015. In 2014, defensive back Jeremy Murphy was named second-team All-American for special teams and linebacker Zach Brownell was named honorable mention All-American.

Brownell (2014), Murphy (2014) and McCray (2015) were also first-team All-Region selections. Hayes became the first Huntingdon defensive player to be named All-Region three times, earning second-team honors in 2018 and 2016 and third-team honors in 2017.

Defensive back Keith Anthony earned second-team preseason All-American honors before his junior season in 2010 and first-team preseason All-American honors before the 2011 season. Anthony was also a second-team and third-team All-South Region selection during his career.

Defensive lineman Rishard Davis earned second-team All-South Region honors in 2006 and defensive back Jamaal Jemison was the first Huntingdon defensive player to earn All-South Region recognition in 2005. Jemison was also named to the preseason Division III team by Lindy's annual preseason magazine in 2006.

In their first seven seasons in the USA South, the Hawks have had two players named Defensive Player of the Year (Brownell and White), three players named Defensive Rookie of the Year (Hayes, DeAnte’ Griffith and Linell Tarver) and 30 defensive All-Conference selections. In their lone season in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2008, the Hawks had six defensive players earn all-conference accolades, including three first-team members.

Before joining the staff at Huntingdon, Hicks spent one season as the linebackers coach at the University of West Alabama. Prior to his time at UWA, Hicks was a graduate assistant at Jacksonville State University, where he earned his master's degree.

Hicks also worked as a student-assistant coach, working with running backs under Mike Turk at Troy, while working on his undergraduate degree in sports management.

Hicks is married to the former Stephanie Shores, a member of the admissions department at Huntingdon and the coach of the Huntingdon cheerleaders. The couple lives in Montgomery and has two children, Trey, and Kloey.

Eli Powell

Recruiting Coordinator / Tight Ends and Inside Receivers Coach

Eli Powell joined the Huntingdon coaching staff in the Fall of 2022 as the running backs’ coach.

In his first season coaching running backs, Powell coached a group that accounted for 25 touchdowns and over 2,100 all purpose yards. Powell coached a 2nd-Team USA South All-Conference selection in Kahari McReynolds who ran for over 1,100 yards and had 243 yards receiving averaging over 15 yards per reception.

Prior to the Fall 2022 season, Powell was a student assistant from Fall 2020-Spring 2022 working with Coach Jameson Stephens and the Huntingdon wide receivers. Powell helped coach one USA South 1st Team All-Conference selection in the Fall of 2021, Malachi Harvey.

Powell played quarterback for the Hawks in 2019. Before attending Huntingdon College, Powell played quarterback at Baldwin County High School.

Casey Peppers

Offensive Intern: Running Backs

Casey Peppers joins the Huntingdon football staff as an intern in June of 2024 following his graduation from the institution.

A five year player for the Hawks football program, Casey holds the all-time tackle record in program history with 193. Throughout his career, he was named to the all-region team twice, and the USA South All-Conference First-team three times.

In addition to his record-holding 343 tackles, Peppers recorded 15.5 sacks, 42 tackles for loss, 6 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, and one interception from the years of 2019-2023.

Chael Pridgen

Offensive Line Coach

Pridgen is a Huntingdon alum who served on the football team from 2012-2015. Playing on the offensive line he was a four-year starter who saw 2,661 snaps while only giving up two sacks in his career.

An elected team captain in 2015 he helped lead the Hawks to their first ever USA South Conference Championship. His accolades while at Huntingdon include: three-time First team All-Region, three time All South Region performer, inducted into the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, named to the USA South All-Academic team, First team All-Conference in the USA South.

Chael returns to the Hawks after spending the last year as the Defensive Coordinator for Madison County High School. His defensive line produced three shut outs on the year and led the region in percentage of quarterback pressures per drop pass play, third down defense, and red zone defense. He also helped produce six All-Region performers on the defense at Madison County.

The year prior, Pridgen coached at Sparkman High School and served as the Offensive Line coach and Tight Ends coach. The team rushed for just under 2,000 yards on the season and the offensive line produced two All-Region performers and one All-State offensive lineman. Four players from his group signed and played collegiately.

From 2018-2020 he coached at Dothan High School as the Offensive Line and Tight Ends coach for a team who rushed for over 2,000 yards and won the schools first ever region title. He helped produced multiple All-Region players and one All-State player from his offensive line while at Dothan.

In 2017, Chael returned to his alma mater, Hazel Green to serve as the Offensive Line Coach for one year. While at Hazel Green they were able to produce a 1,000 yard rusher and hosted the schools first ever playoff game.

He began his coaching career at Straughn High School in 2016 after graduating and became the running backs coach.

Chael is married to Jane Pridgen.

Charles Gibson

Outside Receivers Coach

Karl Dorn

Defensive Line Coach

Ryan White

Defensive Backs Coach

White is an alum of Huntingdon College and graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Education/Health and Physical Education. He was a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society member in 2014.

He has spent the last two years at Maryville College as the Defensive Back’s coach for the Scots where he coached Second Team All-Conference Defensive Back, Grant Henderson and recruited Kevon Samuels who received First Team All-Conference Wide Receiver.

White arrived in Maryville after one season coaching cornerbacks at Jasper High School in Alabama. He also served as an assistant track and field coach while teaching as a physical education instructor at Morgan Park Elementary, also in Jasper.

White spent three seasons on the football staff at his former school, Hardaway High School, in Columbus, Georgia. He was the defensive backs coach and also the junior varsity head coach. Hardaway put together a 7-3 season in 2018, earning a Georgia 4A playoff berth for the first time in seven years. White also coached track and field as an assistant.

He coached at Lanett High School in Alabama from 2015-17, serving as defensive backs coach for the Class 2A state semifinalists in 2016. Under White’s tutelage, Trikweze Bridges was a consensus All-State First Team selection.

He began his coaching career at Central Freshman Academy and Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama. White was a defensive backs coach for the Class 7A region champions and also served as freshman team defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.