Princeton University Athletics
Hughes Decision
June 16, 2000 | General
Roger Hughes, who led an offense that propelled Dartmouth College to a 22-game winning streak and two Ivy League championships, has been named the Charles W. Caldwell Jr. Head Coach of Football at Princeton University.
"In the eyes of the alumni, the deans, the faculty and the administrators, Coach Hughes has outstanding credentials and qualities and impressive academic achievement that reflects his commitment to education and serves as an example for our student-athletes," says Princeton Director of Athletics Gary D. Walters. "He has impeccable character references from diverse sources, and we have pure respect for his technical knowledge of the game of football. He has a commitment to values-based coaching and the educational development of our student-athletes. He has tremendously relevant Ivy League experience as a coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He has important leadership and communication skills that will enable him to recruit effectively and promote the integration of the football program within the Athletic Department and the University as a whole."
Hughes, who holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the University of Nebraska, becomes the 21st head coach in Princeton history.
"I sense a hunger for commitment, a hunger for excellence," says Hughes. "I'm really excited about the attitude of the team and where we can go. I'm not here to betray anyone's trust. Trust is a big word with me, and I'm going to try to do everything I can to facilitate that trust."
Dartmouth's offensive coordinator since 1992, Hughes helped the Big Green to Ivy League championships in 1992 and 1996. He coached players who set 14 of the top 15 school single-game passing and total yardage records, as well as four of the top 5 single-season totals. The 1996 team went 10-0, one of three teams in league history to do so.
"I think Coach Hughes is an excellent choice for Princeton," says Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Jay Fiedler, who played for Hughes at Dartmouth. "He has a great offensive mind, and he prepared me very well for the next level. He'll do a great job at Princeton. I think he's very creative offensively. He communicates very well with his players. He doesn't go out and demand respect, he earns it. We had some outstanding offenses at Dartmouth, and he was a big part of it. He utilized the talent there. He'll do just as good a job at Princeton, identifying and utilizing talent there."
Hughes is a product of the football-mad state of Nebraska, where he grew up in tiny Crawford, population 1,115. A three-sport athlete at Crawford High School, Hughes attended Nebraska Western Junior College on a basketball scholarship. He left after one year to attend Doane College in Crete, Neb., where he played football as a tight end and golf before graduating in 1982.
He began his coaching career at Doane the following year, when he began his graduate work at Nebraska. He then moved to Lincoln as a graduate assistant, helping the Cornhuskers to the 1984 Sugar Bowl and the 1985 Fiesta Bowl while working on his doctorate. He returned to Doane as offensive coordinator in 1987, and he earned his Ph.D. in December 1987.
"I am really pleased to hear that Roger Hughes is the new head coach at Princeton," says Nebraska head football coach Frank Solic. "To those of us who know him, he is an outstanding coach and an outstanding person. I'm confident he will do a tremendous job for Princeton."
Hughes' career took him to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where as running backs coach in 1988 he helped his team to the Wisconsin State University Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. His next stop was Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., where he worked for three years as the offensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. While at Cameron he also worked with the quarterbacks and offensive line.
Hughes left in 1992 to join John Lyons' staff at Dartmouth.
Hughes, 40, is married to the former Laura Van Werden, a certified public accountant. The couple has a daughter, Maddison, age four.
"The Princeton Football Association is 150% behind the selection of Coach Hughes," says PFA president and former Tiger All-America Stas' Maliszewski. "He is an excellent choice, and we're very excited about it. We look forward to working with Coach Hughes."
The Hughes File
Coaching Experience
Dartmouth College - Hanover, N.H.
Offensive Coordinator, 1992-2000
22-game winning streak ... two Ivy League championships ... coached players who hold 14 of the top 15 single-game passing and total yardage records in school history ... directed Dartmouth Football Community Outreach Program at various local hospitals, schools and community functions
Cameron University - Cameron, Okla.
Offensive Coordinator/Strength and Conditioning Coach, 1989-92
coached quarterbacks and offensive line
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - Whitewater, Wis.
Running Backs Coach, 1988
NCAA Division III quarterfinalist
Doane College - Crete, Neb.
Offensive Coordinator, 1987
coached quarterbacks and receivers
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Neb.
Graduate Assistant, 1984-86
team finished in Top 10 every year ... team played in 1984 Sugar Bowl and 1985 Fiesta Bowl ... coached freshman receivers and assisted with varsity split ends and tight ends
Doane College - Crete, Neb.
Assistant Coach, 1982-83
coached varsity receivers and secondary ... junior varsity offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator
Education
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Neb.
Doctorate of Exercise Physiology, December 1987
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Neb.
Master's of Physical Education, August 1984
Doane College - Crete, Neb.
Bachelor of Arts, May 1982
lettered in football as tight end and golf
Nebraska Western Junior College - Scotts Bluff, Neb.
1977-78 - played basketball on scholarship
Crawford High School - Crawford, Neb.
Class of 1977 ... lettered in football, basketball and golf ... all-league in basketball
Personal
Born Sept. 5, 1959 (age 40) ... wife Laura is a CPA ... daughter Maddison, age four