Haskel Buff rejoined the TAMUK football program in Spring 2018.
Buff brings with him credentials that include more than 25 years of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. His most recent stop was at Welasco High School and prior to that he spent two years each at Edinburg Vela High School and San Benito High School. His most recent collegiate experience was at Fort Valley State in Georgia, where he spent four seasons guiding one of the top units in the country, including a defense in 2010 that finished among the best in the NCAA in several categories and led the nation in fewest yards allowed per game. His special teams group included Marquette King, who's spent the last six seasons punting for the Oakland Raiders.
This is not the first time Buff has donned the Blue and Gold. He served as the program's defensive coordinator and special teams coach from 2000-2006. During that time, Buff put together a defense that helped the Javelinas capture four consecutive Lone Star Conference Championships. The Javs collected five postseason victories during that time, including two straight trips to the NCAA regional semifinals. Buff also helped guide a unit that finished in the top 20 in the nation in scoring defense and total defense four times. Six of his student-athletes were chosen as All-Americans on defense, as well as one of his special teamers.
"Kingsville has always been a special place for me," said Buff. "The last time I was here, we won a lot of football games and I think we can do that again going forward. I'm excited to be back and ready to get to work on putting together a defense that's going to help this team succeed and the fans here are going to love. I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces back at Javelina Stadium this season and having them support this program in the near future."
Kingsville also served as one of the first stops on Buff's coaching journey. After two years as a graduate assistant for Stephen F. Austin and three serving as secondary coach at UNLV, he joined the TAMUK staff for a tenure that would go from 1995-97. During all three seasons, Buff was helped lead a defense that ranked in top five in the country and a special teams unit that was among the NCAA's best. His pupils included Karl Williams and Norman Miller, both of whom went on to careers in the NFL.
Buff's career as a player spanned four seasons, during which he played for both the University of Tulsa and Southern Utah University, receiving his bachelor's degree from the latter institution. He then moved on to UNLV, where he acquired his master's degree.
Haskel Buff is married to the former Gloria Garcia Hitchens of Kingsville, who served as the school's director of alumni affairs from 2003-07.
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