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.
15 Facts About Archie Cooley
1.
2.
Archie Cooley played college football at Jackson State University under John Merritt.
3.
Archie Cooley graduated in 1962, and married Georgia Ester Reed on December 28 of that year.
4.
Archie Cooley began his coaching career at Southside High School in Heidelberg, Mississippi, where he worked for seven years.
5.
Archie Cooley moved to Tennessee State University in 1974 as a linebacker coach.
6.
The success Archie Cooley achieved at Mississippi Valley State is attributed to his design of his innovative "Satellite Express" passing offense, which was a no huddle offense featuring five wide receivers.
7.
Archie Cooley led the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils to their only Division I-AA playoff appearance in 1984.
8.
Archie Cooley served as an associate professor of physical education at Mississippi Valley State.
9.
In 1987 Archie Cooley moved on to University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, which was then an NAIA member before the school moved up to the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the 1990s.
10.
Archie Cooley coached there for four years, from 1987 to 1990, and served as athletic director and associate professor.
11.
In 1993, Archie Cooley was hired as head coach at Norfolk State University, where he stayed for only one year.
12.
Paul Quinn was an NAIA member school which was then establishing a new football program, and Archie Cooley was responsible for starting the program from the ground up.
13.
Archie Cooley served as head coach from 2000 to 2006.
14.
In 2007, Archie Cooley was inducted into the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.
15.
Archie Cooley died in Fort Worth, Texas on April 18,2024.