When the 2026 football season begins, Braden Hucks will begin his sixth season on the Tarleton State Football staff, his fourth straight year as Offensive Assistant.
On the Tarleton State Football staff during the historic season in 2025, the Texans posted its best season in the Division era. The Texans won a share of the United Athletic Conference title, earned the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, and advanced to the quarterfinals in just their second year of playoff eligibility as a Division I program. Tarleton State began the season winning a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. With an overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC Championship. It was Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The 2025 conference title marked Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022). When the Selection Show came around, it was no surprise to see Tarleton State’s name in the playoff field. The Texans not only earned a first-round bye, but also collected their highest-ever playoff seed as a Division I program. Tarleton State clinched its 12th win of the season with their victory in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, matching the most in a single season in program history. The United Athletic Conference co-champions and No. 4 seed reached the final eight for the first time in their Division I history. Tarleton State was just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). The Texans were ranked No. 6 in both the final Stats Perform Top 25 Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The record-setting season was recognized with a plethora of awards. In addition to having 12 players named to All-UAC Teams, four Texans earned spots on the Stats Perform FCS All-America Teams. Tarleton State was also well represented nationally in the postseason awards, having Texans as finalists for the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice, Eddie Robinson and Walter Payton awards. Academically, 12 Texans earned spots on the UAC All-Academic Teams.
The Texans posted a historic campaign in 2024, going 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. On Nov. 30, 13-seed Tarleton State hosted Drake in the first round of the FCS Playoffs winning 43-29 at Memorial Stadium. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Two of those five teams comprised of the four-team playoff field in that initial round of the FCS Playoffs – Florida A&M and UMass, in 1978. The other two programs are currently in the FBS; Troy in 1993 and UCF in 1990. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility. They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State). Tarleton State was named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason. The Texans were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova. Tarleton State started 2024 7-1, with a six-game winning streak, their best start and their longest winning streak in the D1 era. Offensively, Tarleton State ranked fourth in the country in pass yards per completion (14.5), fifth in red zone offense (.933), ninth in first downs (300), tied-13th in sacks allowed per game (1.14), 22nd in total offense (415.8 yards per game), 23rd in rushing offense (191.1 yards per game), 28th in scoring offense (30.7 points per game), 34th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.71) and 42nd in passing offense (224.7 yards per game). Tarleton State had the No. 1 rusher across all of FCS (Kayvon Britten, 1,982 yards) and the No. 1 receiver across all of FCS (Darius Cooper, 1,450 yards). Britten and Cooper collected a combined nine All-American honors, including both earning Associated Press FCS All-America First Team. There were five offensive players total named UAC All-Conference, with Cooper and Britten on First Team, followed by quarterback Victor Gabalis, offensive lineman Layton Ernst and offensive lineman Tuli Teuhema on Second Team.
In 2023, Tarleton State’s final year of their four-year reclassification period, Hucks helped the Texans finish 8-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. They finished second in the inaugural United Athletic Conference, despite being picked to finish sixth in the 2023 Preseason UAC Coaches Poll. The Texans were an offensive power with Hucks in the mix. In conference ranks, they averaged the second most points per game (33.3), yards per game (430.5), yards per rush (5.2), pass yards per attempt (8.1), and the most yards per play (6.4), rushing yards per game (201.7) and rushing touchdowns (25). Hucks helped coach five offensive players to All-Conference honors, including two on the First Team – running back Kayvon Britten and center Tuli Teuhema – and three on the Second Team – wide receiver Darius Cooper, offensive linemen Layton Ernst and offensive lineman Hunter Smith.
Hucks wrapped up his Texan playing career in the spring of 2021 after appearing in 26 games over three seasons with the purple and white. In his career, Hucks was a part of Tarleton State’s back-to-back Lone Star Conference championship teams.
Prior to Tarleton State, he spent one season at Blinn Junior College and was a conference champion wide receiver. In high school, he was a prep star at San Angelo Central as a quarterback. He was the District MVP and the first QB in Little Southwest Conference history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in a single season.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Tarleton State in 2021 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree.
