Willie Totten


Willie "Satellite" Totten is a former professional football player and current college football coach. Totten played his high school football at J.Z. George High School in North Carrollton, MS. Totten was the starting quarterback at Mississippi Valley State University all four years from 1981 to 1985, along with Jerry Rice as his target at wide receiver. Totten set more than 50 Division I-AA passing records, and Rice setting many Division I-AA receiving records. The Delta Devils averaged 59 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 pass-oriented offense that utilized the skills of Totten.

Professional career

Totten played professionally in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts before moving on to the National Football League, as a replacement player for the Buffalo Bills during the strike-shortened 1987 NFL season. Totten played in the Arena Football League for the Chicago Bruisers, Pittsburgh Gladiators and the New Orleans Night.

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.

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 Field, 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