Archie Cooley, the innovative Black college football coach whose offense helped Jerry Rice become a star at Mississippi Valley State, has died, his family announced through the school Thursday. He was 84. “The MVSU Family sends our condolences to the Cooley Family,” the school said in a social media post, but did not share details about Cooley’s death. Nicknamed “Gunslinger” for his passion for the passing game, Cooley spent 19 seasons as a head coach at four HBCUs and went 83-78-5. The Mississippi native played both ways at Jackson State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the early 1960s and started his coaching career as a defensive assistant. He became a head coach for the first time in the SWAC at Mississippi Valley State in 1980. Cooley’s five-wide receiver, no-huddle offense helped revolutionize the passing game at a time when many top programs were still using run-heavy attacks. |
More air routes using homegrown aircraft C919Xi Stresses Mobilizing Workers to Participate in National RejuvenationChengdu emerges as drone hub in western ChinaChina to keep track of EU actions against Chinese businessesForeign firms still bullish on China marketApple opens its eighth store in ShanghaiMultinational firms swear by Shanghai on support plan for foreign R&D centersRole of finance in industrial upgrade gets experts' attentionIn pics: Wushu teacher in wheelchair in GreeceWorld Volkswagen Day celebration held in Colombo