After one season leading Mesquite Horn, Vernon Hughes will make the move to San Antonio to take over at Converse Judson.

JISD did not publicly name Hughes at the board meeting, however the new head Judson head coach officially confirmed to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football on Wednesday morning he had accepted the position. He replaces Judson alum Mark Soto, who announced his retirement in mid-January.

Hughes’ hire is a departure from standard protocol in Judson ISD, which has a track record of promotions from within or hiring those with ties to the glory days at Converse Judson. Hughes, by all accounts, is an outsider having never coached in the San Antonio area, but that may be the jolt Judson’s program needs as the once proud Rockets have fallen on hard times in recent years.

“Judson is a traditional power," he said. "They’ve had some recent struggles. But I truly believe Judson can get back to being an elite program. It’s an exciting opportunity."

Hughes has three seasons of head coaching experience having led Pflugerville Weiss in the Austin area in 2023 and 2024. He posted a strong 17-5 record with the Wolves in two seasons before making the move to the DFW area in 2025. Hughes took over a Mesquite Horn program that was in total disarray last April and despite the 2-7 record, most observers in 11-6A felt Hughes and his staff did an outstanding job with a make-shift team after several key starters left the program during the coaching transition.

A native of Jackson, MS, Hughes played collegiately at Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas Lutheran. After his playing days wrapped up he decided to stay in Texas where he began his coaching journey as an assistant at LaGrange.

After his departure from LaGrange, the new Judson head coach got his first chance to be an offensive coordinator at Hutto High School. He also spent time as an offensive coordinator at Del Valle and Pflugerville Weiss before being promoted to head coach in the spring of 2023.

Expect Hughes to operate an exciting, up-tempo offense at Judson with an emphasis on quarterback development as Hughes and his coaching staff are known for operating an offense that is quarterback friendly.

The new Judson coach has his work cut out for him as he tries to restore Judson to their past glory as the Rockets in recent years have gone from powerhouse to being well down the Alamo City pecking order. Judson did make the playoffs last season, but the Rockets suffered an embarrassing blowout loss in the bi-district playoffs to Laredo United.

From 1983 to 2007, Judson played in the state title game 11 times, winning six state titles. But the Rockets last deep playoff run took place in 2018-2019 when they lost in the regional finals in back-to-back years to Lake Travis.

Hughes says he wants to get down to San Antonio as soon as possible and meet his team.

“I want to get in front of the kids as soon as possible and share my vision and start to build those relationships," he said. "My staff and I will be heavily involved in the community down to the grassroots level. I want to engage the alumni and ex-players and get that Judson tradition back going. We are going to compete in everything, 7-on-7, lineman challenges, we want that mindset to compete in everything as a Judson Rocket."

That's not to say the decision to leave was easy.

“It was a tough decision to leave Horn and Mesquite ISD," Hughes said. "Coach Groves is first class. I feel like I grew as a coach this year coaching in the district of doom. I’m grateful for the opportunity at Mesquite Horn."

Mesquite Horn will now be on its third head coach in three seasons as MISD athletic director Kody Groves will look to fill his second head coaching job this offseason after hiring Jeremy Williams at West Mesquite in late January. Four of the five head coaches in Mesquite ISD will be at two years or less tenure in 2026 as only Tim Sedar at North Mesquite was hired by the district prior to 2025. Expect many of the same candidates who were in the mix at Horn last spring to be among the first calls MISD makes when the Horn job officially posts.