Kenneth Wayne Huff (born February 21, 1953) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who was an

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...

in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He was also an

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

guard at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

.North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
''Ken Huff''
, accessed September 14, 2011.

College career

Huff was heavily recruited from

Deerfield Academy Deerfield Academy (often called Deerfield or DA) is an Independent school, independent College-preparatory school, college-preparatory boarding and day school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schoo ...

, Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he spent a

postgraduate year A postgraduate (PG) year is an extra year of secondary coursework at a boarding school following high school graduation, but before entering college. It is a gap year option intended for students who either have not applied or were not admitt ...

after Coronado High School outside of

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. Initially a

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

until UNC Coach Bill Dooley switched him to guard in his second day of practice, he immediately became a starter on the offensive line. As a sophomore, he helped lead the University of North Carolina to an 11-1

Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...

championship. He played in the 1972 and 1974 Sun Bowls, Hula Bowl, and Senior Bowl in 1975. As a team captain in his senior season, he led an offensive line that produced two 1,000 yard backs and helped Carolina set a school total offense record. He was chosen first-team All-ACC and Consensus All-American in 1974 including '' Playboy’s'' Pre-Season All-American pick. Huff was a finalist for the

Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that g ...

Award, won the Jacobs Trophy as the league's best blocker, Jim Tatum Medal and was a two time recipient of the Bill Arnold Award as UNC's top lineman. He was also named Captain of the College All-Stars in their game against the Super Bowl Champion

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

, selected to the 75th anniversary All Sun Bowl team in 2008, and listed as one of the top 25 lineman to play in the ACC. His number was retired at his high school alma mater and at UNC where his college jersey is hanging on the University's Honored Jersey section of

Kenan Memorial Stadium Kenan Stadium (formerly Kenan Memorial Stadium) is a college football stadium located on Stadium Drive in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Opened in 1927, it is home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's (UNC) football team, which comp ...

Professional career

Huff was the third overall pick in the

1975 NFL draft The 1975 NFL draft was held January 28–29, 1975, at the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center in New York City, New York. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartkowski. Player selectio ...

by the

Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983, when owner Robert Irsay moved the franchise to Indianapolis. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breeding and racing. It w ...

, one pick ahead of

Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American professional American football, ...

. In 1983, he was acquired by the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

and became a member of the famed “ Hogs” offensive line along with Mark May,

Russ Grimm Russell Scott Grimm (born May 2, 1959) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a Guard (American football), guard for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He has also served as an a ...

, Joe Jacoby,

Jeff Bostic Jeffrey Lynn Bostic (born September 18, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a center for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers. Named to t ...

and George Starke. Huff retired in 1986 after 11 years and a career 145 games in the NFL.

Post NFL Career

In May 2008, Huff was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Currently, Huff is the owner of an award-winning, custom home building company in

Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties, North Carolina, United States. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 United States census, making Chapel Hill the List of municipa ...

. He is involved with numerous UNC and NFL related charity organizations as well as doing Public Service Announcements for Hope For The Warriors. Received the Walter Camp Foundation Alumni of the Year for 2013. Was UNC's selection to the Legends of the ACC, Class of 2015, joining Ga Tech's head coach Bobby Ross, Miami's Clinton Portis, Pitt's Tony Dorsett, and Clemson's Anthony Simmons to name a few. Huff is a board member of the National Football Foundation's Bill Dooley Chapter, currently the largest chapter in the country (2015). Named the 2016 Distinguished American Award by the Bill Dooley Chapter of the National Football Foundation. Walter Camp Football Foundation Alumni President, 2019–present. Named number 17 on UNC's top 25 players in football history (2021)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huff, Ken 1953 births Living people Sportspeople from Hutchinson, Kansas All-American college football players American football offensive guards North Carolina Tar Heels football players Baltimore Colts players Washington Redskins players