Dameon Hughes hired as new football coach

Village Academy has hired Dameon Hughes as its head football coach.

Hughes takes over for Rod Huggins, who coached just one season at the school. Village Academy is coming off an 0-9 season with four forfeit defeats. The program was unable to compete in nearly half of its games due to low numbers.

A Boca Raton High School alum, Hughes grew up in Delray Beach and said he was drawn toward the Tigers’ coaching position.

“It feels great,” Hughes said. “I’m ecstatic and ready for the challenge.”

“To me that community is so rich in talent and it’s such a community-based program. I grew up in Delray Beach, so I thought ‘Why not come back home and bring a huge purpose to that community and the school.’”

Hughes spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Santaluces.

Hughes will be tasked with rebuilding a Village program that’s extremely low on numbers. The Delray Beach school, which competes in Class 2A, has historically fielded small rosters, but the numbers dipped to an unsustainable level this past season.

The school, however, has produced a number of talented players who have excelled in college. This past season at UCF, junior wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith caught 59 passes for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns for the undefeated Knights. Smith declared for the NFL draft after the season and is projected as a potential thirdround pick.

Former quarterback Larry Brihm (Bethune-Cookman) and defensive tackle Kevin Bronson (South Florida) have also had productive college careers.