O’Maury Huggs has built his reputation on doing the hard things.
Whether it’s lowering his shoulder for extra yards on Friday nights or battling in the paint on the basketball court, the Oglethorpe County senior has carved out a role as a leader and anchor for two Patriot programs.
“I didn’t want to sit around in the house and get lazy, so I just started playing both of them at a young age, and they were just fun to me,” Huggs said. “I like the hard work and the dedication that comes with it.”
Now one of the most important players on both the football and basketball teams, Huggs’ influence stretches far beyond the stat sheet. Coaches say his toughness, transformation and team-first mentality have made him a model for teammates and future athletes.
“He’s a team-first guy,” basketball head coach Carlos Strong said. “He doesn’t complain, just always upbeat. He brings leadership and togetherness, and he’s going to hold it together. That’s big for chemistry, team perspective, everything.”
Strong calls Huggs his “glue guy” — the one who rebounds, defends and sets the tone with physical play in the paint.
“He’s a bruiser,” Strong said. “He’s going to be our enforcer, asked to make plays around the basket and rebound and defend. He’s also a leader, a captain.”
That leadership was especially clear last season as Strong settled into his first year with the program.
“It was a lot of not being as attentive as the team should have been, and not picking up on things. He sort of was that voice of like, ‘Yo, hey guys, we got to take this seriously. We got to actually get back to doing what we know and what coach Strong wants us to do,’ ” Strong said.
That same presence carries onto the football field.
Head coach Michael Holland has watched Huggs’ four-year journey from a “pudgy little lineman” into a versatile running back and defensive end. Huggs lost nearly 90 pounds, reshaping himself into one of the team’s most dependable players.
“He’s a guy that’s going to come show up every day to work out, and in the summer, be there every single day, work after practice if he needs to,” Holland said. “He leads by example a lot, and his teammates really respond to him. They all love him and respect him.”
Huggs said the crossover between sports helps him sharpen his game in both.
“Basketball speed is a lot to do with it,” he said. “The more speed I put on the court, the more speed I bring out here. It’s a lot of twitchy stuff that we do on the basketball court that I can bring out here and do.”
One of his biggest confidence boosts came last season in a football game against Prince Avenue Christian.
“I had to come in and run the ball, and I took one to the house for like a 40-something yarder,” Huggs said. “That was a good feeling right there.”
Strong said Huggs’ influence will last long after graduation.
“I know he’s going to be the ideal teammate,” Strong said. “I know he’s going to make sure the locker room and team camaraderie stay together. That’s what I’m super looking forward to.”