Position: Assistant Coach - Offensive Line
Years at EIU: 1st with Coach Kim Damerson (5th overall)
Alma Mater: Oklahoma, 1990
A veteran coach with more than 25 years coaching experience and a familiar face at Eastern Illinois, Mark Huston returned to the Panthers coaching staff in the spring of 2015 as the Panthers offensive line coach. Hutson previously worked on the Panthers staff for four seasons serving as the interim head coach in 2006 as he led EIU to an Ohio Valley Conference Championship and NCAA FCS playoff appearance.
Hutson reunites with EIU head coach Kim Dameron after working with Dameron on head coach Houston Nutt’s staff at both Murray State and Boise State.
Most recently Hutson worked in the National Football League as the tight ends coach for the Oakland Raiders from 2012 until 2014.
During his first stop at Eastern Illinois Hutson helped the team win 26 games with two OVC titles and two consecutive FCS playoff appearances.Â
He was thrown into the spotlight during the 2006 season when he took over the head coaching duties of running the Panthers football program in the absence of head coach Bob Spoo. Hutson was equal to the task guiding the Panthers to a co-Ohio Valley Conference championship and No. 15 national ranking in the final poll. He was credited with a career coaching record of 8-5, 7-1 in the OVC.
In addition to his role as assistant head coach he also served as the Panthers offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. As the offensive line coach, Hutson's troops earned nine All-OVC honors starting with Frank Castagnoli in 2003 and ending with Jonathan Rueter's second team All-American selection in 2006.
Following his time at Eastern Illinois Hutson moved on to serve on the coaching staff at Tulane University. He was on staff for five years taking over as the interim head coach on Oct. 18, 2011 to finish out his fifth season. He was the 38th head football coach in school history.
In Hutson's fourth campaign, his offensive line led the way for Orleans Darkwa, who rushed for a Tulane freshman record 925 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the helped the Wave's ground game churn up 127.5 yards per game and score 17 touchdowns. TU's aerial game averaged 245.8 yards per game behind Hutson's group and scored 19 touchdowns.
During his third season, Hutson's group paved the way for Andre Anderson, a Doak Walker Candidate who rushed for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. Anderson became the second Tulane running back to surpass 1,000 yards in a single season behind a Hutson-led offensive line. TU's line also helped Ryan Griffin become the most prolific freshman quarterback in school history in his six starts, and Jeremy Williams hauled in 84 receptions for 1,113 yards and seven scores. Senior Nick Landry became the third Green Wave offensive lineman under Hutson to advance to the next level when he signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hutson's second season saw the Green Wave get off to a great start with his offensive line paving the way for nearly 400 yards of total offense per outing through the first four games. However, injuries decimated the team and TU ran out of weapons to run behind the offensive line. Despite the team's finish, a pair of Huston's pupils will be playing on Sunday's with all-conference selections Troy Kropog and Michael Parenton joining the NFL ranks. Kropog was a fourth round selection by the Tennessee Titans, while Parenton signed as a free agent with the New York Jets.
During his first season with the Wave, Hutson's offensive line spearheaded the attack for tailback Matt Forte, who rushed for a school-record 2,127 yards and ran into the record books with the seventh-best rushing performance in NCAA history. TU's offensive line paved the way for a 201-yard per game average on the ground, which ranked as the sixth-best single season effort in school history, and the team's 26 rushing touchdowns tied for the second most, while Tulane's 2,412 total yards was the second-best effort in one season. Three of Hutson's players received all-conference honors, including honorable mention selections Troy Kropog and Michael Parenton, while Andrew Nierman was named to the Freshman All-America Team by The Sporting News.
Prior to joining the Eastern Illinois staff, Hutson served as the offensive line coach and student-athlete academic liaison at The University of Tulsa from 2000-02. During his stint with the Golden Hurricane, he helped coach lineman Kevin Shaffer into the NFL ranks. Hutson entered the coaching profession as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 1990. He joined former Arkansas and current Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt's staff at Murray State in 1993, serving as the tight ends coach and special team's coordinator. Murray State won back-to-back OVC championships in 1995 and 1996 with a combined 22-3 record.
Hutson followed Nutt to Boise State for one year as the special teams and tight ends coach and then to Arkansas for two seasons. At Arkansas, he once again coached tight ends and special teams winning the Southeastern Conference Special Teams Coach of the Year Award. The Razorbacks made appearances in the 1998 Citrus Bowl and 1999 Cotton Bowl while Hutson was on the staff.
A two-time All-America lineman at Oklahoma (1986-87), he was a team captain and member of the Sooners' 1985 National Championship team, and made four consecutive Orange Bowl appearances (1985-88). He was named to the Oklahoma All-Century Team and named one of the Top 100 players in OU history. He was a three-time All-Big Eight selection and capped his career with an appearance in the 1988 Hula Bowl All-Star game in Hawaii.
Hutson was a third round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in 1988. After back surgery forced him into early retirement, he returned to OU and completed his bachelor's degree in communication in 1990.
The Fort Smith, Ark., native has been a part of seven bowl teams, three as a coach and four as a player.
He and his wife, Sherri, have two sons Ethan and Dillion.