Archie Cooley, the renowned coach of the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils who coached Jerry Rice, has passed away. The news was first reported by The Times-Picayune sports columnist Rod Walker and later confirmed by various sources, including Mississippi Valley State Athletics.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share legendary Coach Archie “Gunslinger” Cooley Jr. has passed away, his family announced today, Thursday, April 18, 2024. The MVSU Family sends our condolences to the Cooley Family. Funeral arrangements will be shared at a later time,” the Mississippi Valley State athletics page tweeted out on Thursday afternoon.

Archie Cooley is a Jackson State alumnus who played football under fellow legendary head coach John Merrit. After serving as a positions coach at Alcorn State and Tennessee State, he received his first head coaching job at Mississippi Valley State in 1980. In his six years with the program, he helped change the way the game of football was played.

Cooley created the “Satellite Express” offense, a set featuring five wide receivers in a no-huddle offense. The offensive playcalling terrorized defenses, as the receivers would often line up on the same side of the field or in a stack formation. Maintaining a no-huddle offense increased the tempo, compelling the defense to adapt instantly without the option to substitute players for better defense against the specific offensive plays being executed. Jerry Rice and starting quarterback Willie “Satellite” Totton thrived under Cooley’s offensive philosophy, shattering records and propelling Rice from HBCU football stardom to being hailed as one of the all-time greats in football.

“We’re going to pass and pass and then pass some more,” Cooley said in a quote obtained by The Athletic in a profile of him and other coaches that served as innovators of the no-huddle offense. “In fact, we might stop the bus on the way in and throw a little.”

The 1984 season was an especially successful time for the Delta Devils under the leadership of Cooley. The team finished 9-2, becoming SWAC Champions with their sole regular-season loss coming against legendary Alcorn State coach Marino Casern, known as the Godfather, in a 42-28 contest. The matchup between Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State is that of legend in college football, even chronicled in the NFL Network documentary The Godfather vs. The Gunslinger.

Rice concluded his senior season in ninth place in Heisman voting as a Division I-AA player (now known as the FCS), an award typically attained by Division I-A players (now referred to as the FBS). The team averages 59 points per game, with Jerry Rice setting the NCAA Division I-AA records for receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,845).

Per a quote obtained by USA Today in August 2006, upon Rice getting inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame, he spoke about how Totten changed the game with his offensive philosophy.

“I don’t know where he (Cooley) got it, but it brought so much attention to Mississippi Valley State. It was definitely ahead of its time. Then I noticed when I got into the pros they started running the same kind of offense with four receivers. They’re still doing that today — trying to spread the field and take advantage of the defense,” Rice said in the report written by Eddie Timanus.

Totten’s influence has left a lasting mark on football, and his absence will be deeply felt.

The post Former Jerry Rice HBCU Coach Archie Cooley passes away appeared first on ClutchPoints.