Gary Goff has lost an assistant.

Felton Huggins, a former McNeese State wide receivers coach, has taken the job as top guy at Kentucky State.

The school made the official announcement Monday at a news conference in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Kentucky State is a Division II school and will be Huggins’ first head coaching job.

“Words can’t describe how excited I am for this opportunity to lead KSU football into this next phase,” Huggins said in a KSU news release. “My journey to this point has not always been easy, but my journey molded me for this moment. I’m ready to pour my all into our players, school and community and bring a championship back to KSU.”

Huggins tweeted his goodbye Monday afternoon to Cowboys fans and players, and his thanks to Goff.

Goff hired Huggins on Dec. 30, 2021, when he took over the McNeese program last season. Goff coached Huggins while at Southeastern Louisiana.

The two were together in 2004 when Huggins enjoyed a 13-reception, 235-yard performance in a 51-17 victory at then-No. 6 McNeese. He is the school’s all-time leader in receptions (162) and receiving yards (2,350).

“I’m very excited for coach Huggins,” Goff said. “Getting a chance to be a head coach is not easy. I have known him for 20 years and this is a great deal.

“You want to hire people who are talented and have aspirations for their own careers. You hate to see them leave but that is the business. I think he will do a great job at Kentucky State.”

Goff said he is setting up interviews to replace Huggins. He said he received some 200 applicants for the position starting a couple weeks back.

He was waiting for the official announcement as he narrowed the field down.

In other football news, linebacker C.J. Rias, who transferred to McNeese from South Alabama in January, has left the program. Rias was a late addition from the transfer portal but has dropped out of school for personal reasons.

It was hoped that the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Rias would fill the void left by the graduation of Kordell Williams, who led the Cowboys in tackles last fall.

McNeese will open spring practice on March 8 with the spring game set for April 1.