The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Football - Nickels
- Phone:
- 512-471-3050
Keynodo Hudson is in his second season on staff at Texas after serving as a defensive analyst in 2024 before being elevated to nickels coach in February 2025.
A veteran of 17 years as a college coach, he helped the Longhorns notch a school-record-tying 13 wins and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals after a first-round playoff win over Clemson, and a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Championship over Arizona State in 2024.
The Longhorn defense ranked third in the FBS in scoring defense (15.3 ppg) and total defense with an SEC-best 283.4 yards allowed per game. It also forced an SEC leading 31 turnovers (2nd FBS) including an FBS-best 22 interceptions, and nearly three sacks (2.88/15th FBS) per game. Four defensive players garnered All-America honors (DB Jahdae Barron, DT Alfred Collins, LB Anthony Hill Jr. and DB Michael Taaffe). Barron won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, along with being UT’s first-ever defensive back to be a Nagurski Award finalist, and EDGE Colin Simmons claimed the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and was tabbed a Freshman All-American.
Prior to his time on the Forty Acres, Hudson served one season at Ole Miss as the cornerbacks coach in 2023. The Rebels finished 11-2 overall and 6-2 during SEC play, picking up ranked victories against No. 22 Tulane, No. 12 LSU and No. 10 Penn State. Ole Miss ranked second in the SEC and 25th in the FBS in passes intercepted with 13. The Rebels also ranked No. 3 in the conference in turnovers gained (18) and team passing efficiency defense (128.66) and No. 5 in scoring defense (22.1 ppg).
Hudson spent the 2021-22 seasons as cornerbacks coach at Western Kentucky, mentoring a 2022 defensive backfield and Hilltopper defense that ranked No. 3 in the FBS in interceptions with 19. The Hilltoppers’ defense led the entire country with 32 total takeaways. During his first season with Western Kentucky, Hudson guided a defensive back unit that paced Conference USA in interceptions with 23, including two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. DB Beanie Bishop earned First-Team All-Conference USA recognition under Hudson.
Prior to Western Kentucky, Hudson spent two seasons on staff at Illinois as the defensive backs coach. The 2020 Fighting Illini tied for sixth in the Big Ten with seven interceptions through eight games in a season shortened by the pandemic. During his first season in 2019, Hudson helped lead Illinois to six wins and an appearance in the Redbox Bowl vs. Cal – the program’s first bowl berth in five years.
Before Illinois, Hudson spent 2017-18 as cornerbacks coach at Florida Atlantic under Lane Kiffin. In his first year in Boca Raton in 2017, the Owls finished second nationally in interceptions with a program-record 20. He coached First-Team All-Conference USA selection Shelton Lewis, along with honorable mention choice Chris Tooley, who led the squad with four interceptions apiece. Lewis led the team with eight pass break-ups. FAU concluded the season on a 10-game win streak with victories over North Texas in the Conference USA Championship and Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Before FAU, Hudson spent six seasons from 2012-2016 as a defensive administrative assistant at USC. The Trojans had three 10-win seasons during his time in Los Angeles, including a 2017 Rose Bowl win over Penn State. The 2017 USC team ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll.
Hudson started his career at the University of Charleston (2004-08) before becoming the defensive coordinator at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida (2009-11). He played college football at Reedley College from 1997-00 before transferring to West Virginia Tech where he played his final season and graduated in 2004.
