Fansided

3 best HBCU teams that didn’t get the attention they deserved

By Dante Pryor

Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images /
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Former head coach Willie Totten of the Mississippi Valley State Devils, former wide receiver Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers and President and CEO Mickey Charles of The Sports Network great each other during the FCS Awards Banquet at the Frisco Convention Center on January 6, 2012, in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Wade/Getty Images for The Sports Network)
Former head coach Willie Totten of the Mississippi Valley State Devils, former wide receiver Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers and President and CEO Mickey Charles of The Sports Network great each other during the FCS Awards Banquet at the Frisco Convention Center on January 6, 2012, in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Wade/Getty Images for The Sports Network) /

3.1984 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (9-2, 6-1 SWAC)

Before Jerry Rice became arguably the greatest football player in NFL history, he shattered NCAA records for Mississippi Valley State. While playing his football in Itta Bena (better known as the birthplace of B.B. King), Rice was nicknamed “world” because he caught anything close to him.

While at MVSU, Willie Totten and quarterback were the stars of Archie Cooley’s unique offense. Before Hal Mumme was running the Air Raid, June Jones ran the Run and Shoot, or Tom Bresnahan ran the K-Gun, Delta Devils head coach Archie Cooley developed the “Satellite Express” offense.

This was one of the first offenses to spread the field with four or five wide receivers, work exclusively from the shotgun, work with tempo and call plays without a huddle. Valley set several records on their way to their only FCS playoff appearance.

The Delta Devils scored an unbelievable 628 points in 11 games, averaging over 57 points per game. Mississippi Valley scored 86 points in their season opener against Kentucky State, and they were off to the races.

Jerry Rice set the single-season record for receptions  (112), touchdowns (27), and career touchdowns (50). Quarterback Willie Totten set over 50 FCS passing records, including throwing for 58 touchdowns in 1984.

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