Higgenbotham, who hails from Birmingham, Ala., became the first member of the football program to claim the Jaguar Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award at the Pete Tolbert Night of Champions the first week of May. In helping USA to its second straight undefeated season, he posted a career-best 31 tackles and a forced fumble in the fall to help lead a defense that gave up only 13 points and 255 yards per game while recording three shutouts. He forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown that gave the Jaguars the lead for good as the program picked up its first-ever road win at Lamar, finishing the contest with a team-high six stops, a total he matched later in the season in victories over Georgia State and Arkansas-Monticello. After the season, Higgenbotham earned his degree from the school while recording a 3.80 cumulative grade-point average.
