Willie Totten

Last updated

Willie Totten
Current position
TitleQuarterbacks coach
Team Southern
Conference SWAC
Biographical details
Born (1962-07-04) July 4, 1962 (age 62)
Leflore County, Mississippi, U.S.
Playing career
1981–1985 Mississippi Valley State
1986 BC Lions
1987 Toronto Argonauts
1987 Buffalo Bills
1988 Chicago Bruisers
1989Pittsburgh Gladiators
1991 New Orleans Night
Position(s) Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988 Grambling State (GA)
1990–1997 Mississippi Valley State (assistant)
1998–1999Eastside HS (MS)
2000–2001Mississippi Valley State (OC)
2002–2009Mississippi Valley State
2013 Albany State (QB)
2014–2018 Alabama A&M (QB)
2019–2022Mississippi Valley State (AHC/QB)
2023–present Southern (QB)
Head coaching record
Overall31–57 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
First-team All-Arena (1989)
MVSU Athletics Hall of Fame (2006)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2005 (profile)

Willie "Satellite" Totten (born July 4, 1962) is an American football coach and former player. He is the quarterbacks coach at Southern University.

Contents

Totten played college football for the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils as a quarterback. Teamed with wide receiver Jerry Rice, Totten set more than 50 NCAA Division I-AA passing records with Rice setting many receiving records. The Delta Devils averaged 59 points a game during the 1984 season as Totten threw for a record 58 touchdowns and led them to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Archie Cooley, who was the head coach at MVSU from 1980 to 1986, was the architect of the pass-oriented offense that utilized the skills of Totten.

Totten served as the head football coach at Mississippi Valley State from 2002 to 2009.

Early life and college career

Totten played his high school football at J. Z. George High School in North Carrollton, Mississippi.

Professional playing career

Totten played professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts [1] before moving on to the National Football League (NFL), as a replacement player for the Buffalo Bills during the strike-shortened 1987 NFL season. Totten played in two games, starting one. He completed 13 of 33 passes for 155 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions during his stint in the NFL. [2]

Totten played in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Chicago Bruisers, Pittsburgh Gladiators, and the New Orleans Night each for a single season. During his season with Chicago, the Bruisers reached Arena Bowl II, but were defeated by the Detroit Drive. [3] His best season came next year in 1989 with the Gladiators when he passed for 13 touchdowns and six interceptions over the short four game season. He finished his arena football career with 1665 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and 3 additional rushing touchdowns. [4] [5]

Coaching career

Totten earned his master's degree at Grambling State University, and was a graduate assistant on the coaching staff for head football coach Eddie Robinson. Totten returned to his alma mater and served as quarterbacks coach and running back coach during the 1990s before moving on to coach at the high school level for two years. He returned to the MVSU coaching staff in 2000, and was elevated to head coach in 2001. Totten brought pride back to Mississippi Valley State, as he led the Delta Devils to back-to-back winning seasons in 2005 and 2006. Totten resigned after the 2009 season, and took an administrative position at MVSU in 2010. In 2013, Totten became quarterbacks coach at Albany State University in Albany, Georgia for one season before accepting the quarterback coaching position at Alabama A&M University under new head football coach James Spady. [6] [7] In 2019 Totten returned to MVSU as an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. [8] In 2023, he was hired as the quarterbacks coach at Southern University. [9]

Honors and memberships

Totten is one of a few college football coaches ever to coach in a stadium named after him. The Delta Devils football team plays in Rice–Totten Stadium, named for Totten and wide receiver Jerry Rice. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Totten is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Head coaching record

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (Southwestern Athletic Conference)(2002–2009)
2002 Mississippi Valley State 5–63–4T–3rd (East)
2003 Mississippi Valley State 2–91–65th (East)
2004 Mississippi Valley State 3–81–55th (East)
2005 Mississippi Valley State 6–55–4T–3rd (East)
2006 Mississippi Valley State 6–55–4T–2nd (East)
2007 Mississippi Valley State 3–82–7T–4th (East)
2008 Mississippi Valley State 3–81–6T–4th (East)
2009 Mississippi Valley State 3–81–6T–4th (East)
Mississippi Valley State:31–5719–42
Total:31–57

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rice–Totten Stadium</span> Stadium in Mississippi, U.S.A.

Rice–Totten Stadium is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose stadium location in Itta Bena, Mississippi, United States. It serves as the home field of the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team of Mississippi Valley State University. The stadium opened in 1958 as Magnolia Stadium and was renamed in 2000 in honor of former MVSU football players Jerry Rice and Willie Totten, who set many NCAA Division I-AA records in the 1980s. Rice went on to a 20-year career in the National Football League (NFL) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Totten played professional football for several years after college and then went into coaching, serving as the head football coach at Mississippi Valley State from 2002 to 2009. He is one of the few college football coaches to have coached a game at a facility named after themselves

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football</span> College football team

The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils are the college football team representing the Mississippi Valley State University. The Delta Devils play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Jerry Rice and Deacon Jones, considered two of the greatest American football players of all time, spent their college days playing for the team.

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Archie Lee Cooley Jr. was an American college football coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi Valley State University from 1980 to 1986, University of Arkansas–Pine Bluff from 1987 to 1991, Norfolk State University in 1993, and Paul Quinn College from 2000 to 2006. At Mississippi Valley State, Cooley coached the tandem of Willie Totten and Jerry Rice, future College Football Hall of Fame quarterback and wide receiver, respectively.

The 1984 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils team represented the Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Archie Cooley, the Delta Devils played their home games at Magnolia Stadium—now known as Rice–Totten Stadium—in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Mississippi Valley finished the season with an overall record of 9–2 and a mark of 6–1 in conference play, placing second in the SWAC. The team qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, losing to Louisiana Tech in the first round. With an offense led by quarterback Willie Totten and wide receiver Jerry Rice, the Delta Devils scored 628 points on the season, averaging more than 57 points per game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satellite Express</span>

The Satellite Express was a college duo composed of Willie "The Satellite" Totten and Jerry "World" Rice who played for the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils from 1981 to 1985. Totten set more than 50 Division I-AA passing records, and Rice setting many Division I-AA receiving records. The Delta Devils averaged more than 57 points a game during the 1984 season, with Totten throwing for a record 58 touchdowns and leading the Delta Devils to the Division I-AA playoffs in 1984. Archie Cooley, who was the head coach at MVSU from 1980 to 1986, was the architect of the innovative pass-oriented offense known as "The Satellite Express" which included 5 WRs and the "No Huddle" offense

Carl Edward Byrum is a former American football running back who played three seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Bills in the fifth round of the 1986 NFL draft. He played college football at Mississippi Valley State University and attended Southaven High School in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 2010 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Karl Morgan, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 0–10 and a mark of 0–9 in conference play, and finished last in the SWAC East Division.

The 2009 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 3–8 and a mark of 1–6 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the SWAC East Division. Coach Totten resigned after the end of the season, the Delta Devils' third straight three-win season.

The 2008 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 3–8 and a mark of 1–8 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the SWAC East Division.

The 2007 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 3–8 and a mark of 2–6 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the SWAC East Division.

The 2006 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 6–5 and a mark of 5–4 in conference play, and finished tied for third in the SWAC East Division.

The 2005 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 6–5 and a mark of 5–4 in conference play, and finished tied for third in the SWAC East Division.

The 2003 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2003 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Willie Totten, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 2–9 and a mark of 1–8 in conference play, and finished last in the SWAC East Division.

The 2002 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SwAC) during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Willie Totten, the played their home games at Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Mississippi Valley State finished the season with an overall record of 5–6 and a mark of 3–4 in conference play, tying for third in the SWAC's East Division.

The 2019 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Vincent Dancy, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 2–9 and a mark of 1–6 in conference play, placing last out of five teams in the SWAC's East Division. Mississippi Valley State played home games at Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team</span> American college football season

The 2020 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by third-year head coach Vincent Dancy, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 1–3 with an identical mark conference play, placing last out of fourt teams in the SWAC's East Division. Mississippi Valley State played home games at Rice–Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

The 1985 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team represented Mississippi Valley State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Archie Cooley, the Delta Devils compiled an overall record of 8–3, with a conference record of 5–2, and finished tied for third in the SWAC.

References

  1. Salomon, Andrew (April 21, 1995). "IN NFL, IT'S NO SNAP FOR BLACK QBS TO TAKE A HIKE". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  2. "Willie Totten Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  3. "AFL Box Score: ArenaBowl II - Detroit Drive @ Chicago Bruisers (Jul 30, 1988) | ArenaFan.com". www.arenafan.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  4. "Willie Totten | ArenaFan.com". www.arenafan.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  5. "Willie Totten NFL Stats and Bio - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  6. "Willie Totten - Bio" . Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  7. "Alabama A&M Athletics - 2014 Coaching Staff" . Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  8. "Willie Totten - Bio" . Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  9. "Willie Totten - Quarterbacks Coach - Staff Directory - Southern University". gojagsports.com. Retrieved November 29, 2023.