Darrell Dickey
Encyclopedia
Darrell Dickey is an assistant American football
coach at Texas State University. Before joining the Texas State staff he was the offensive coordinator
at the University of New Mexico
for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He was head coach of the University of North Texas
from 1998 to 2006. During the 13 years prior to his stint at North Texas, Dickey was an assistant at SMU, UTEP, LSU, Mississippi State, Memphis, and Texas A&M. Subsequent to his tenure at North Texas, he was an assistant at Utah State and New Mexico.
Dickey was a quarterback
in college, playing for his father, Jim Dickey
, at Kansas State University
. He is noted for leading the University of North Texas football program to their only bowl win in 2002. The win highlighted a four year period (2001–2004) during which the Mean Green became only the 11th program in college football history to win four consecutive conference titles.
Dickey received a rare, curious honor in 2006 after being fired by the University of North Texas
. A donor requested that school officials name the new football practice facility in honor of him despite his dismissal. The donor did not want to have his own name branded on the practice fields, but believed the program's accomplishments under his leadership deemed Dickey worthy of the naming rights .
for four seasons from 1979 to 1982. In 1979, he established the school record for passing yards by a freshman with 915, a record that stood until 2005 when Allan Evridge
broke the record with 1,365 yards.
Dickey concluded his collegiate career in 1982 by leading the Wildcats to the school's first bowl appearance in its 87 year history, the 1982 Independence Bowl
. He left Kansas State
ranked second all-time in pass completions, yards passing, touchdown passes, and total offense.
Dickey remains only player in Kansas State history to lead the school in passing yards and total offense for four consecutive seasons.
and New Orleans Saints
respectively.
at Texas A&M
in 1985, where he was part of a staff that led the Aggies to their first Southwest Conference title since 1975.
In 1986 he was hired by Charlie Bailey
at Memphis
to serve as tight end
s coach in 1986. The next season he coached the running back
s, and the year after that he was appointed offensive coordinator
. During his time with the Tigers, Memphis upset Southeast Conference powers Alabama
in 1987 and Florida
in 1988. The win against Florida was at The Swamp
.
In 1990, Dickey was hired to coach quarterbacks and running backs at Mississippi State. That season, the Bulldogs beat LSU, 34–22, to end a five-season losing streak to the Bayou Bengals. Dickey pupil Tay Galloway ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
In 1991 Dickey became tight ends coach at Louisiana State
, where he served until 1993. The 1993 LSU squad upset #1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He then rejoined Charlie Bailey as offensive coordinator at UTEP
in 1994 and stayed with the Miners through the 1996 season.
In 1997, he served as offensive coordinator at SMU
under Mike Cavan
. The 1997 Ponies posted their first winning season since the return from their NCAA-imposed "Death Penalty." The season included a 31–9 victory over former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas
in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dickey was hired to be the head coach at the University of North Texas following the 1997 season.
Following his stint at North Texas, Dickey became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at New Mexico for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
In 2011, he joined Dennis Franchione at Texas State as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
From 2001-2005, Dickey's North Texas teams won 26 consecutive Sun Belt Conference games, a streak that began on October 13, 2001 with a 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee State and ended on October 4, 2005 with a 13-10 loss to Troy University.
During his tenure, Darrell Dickey led the UNT to high profile wins over Big 12
schools Texas Tech
(1999) and Baylor
(2003). Additionally, the Mean Green posted a 2–1 record against Boise State
during his time in Denton. In 2002, he guided the Mean Green to the only bowl game victory in school history.
After two consecutive losing seasons in 2005 and 2006, Dickey was fired. North Texas paid out the remaining years on his contract.
Current and former NFL players who played for Dickey at North Texas include:
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at Texas State University. Before joining the Texas State staff he was the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He was head coach of the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
from 1998 to 2006. During the 13 years prior to his stint at North Texas, Dickey was an assistant at SMU, UTEP, LSU, Mississippi State, Memphis, and Texas A&M. Subsequent to his tenure at North Texas, he was an assistant at Utah State and New Mexico.
Dickey was a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in college, playing for his father, Jim Dickey
Jim Dickey
-External links:...
, at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
. He is noted for leading the University of North Texas football program to their only bowl win in 2002. The win highlighted a four year period (2001–2004) during which the Mean Green became only the 11th program in college football history to win four consecutive conference titles.
Dickey received a rare, curious honor in 2006 after being fired by the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
. A donor requested that school officials name the new football practice facility in honor of him despite his dismissal. The donor did not want to have his own name branded on the practice fields, but believed the program's accomplishments under his leadership deemed Dickey worthy of the naming rights .
College career
Dickey was the starting quarterback at Kansas StateKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
for four seasons from 1979 to 1982. In 1979, he established the school record for passing yards by a freshman with 915, a record that stood until 2005 when Allan Evridge
Allan Evridge
Allan Evridge Allan Evridge Allan Evridge (born June 24, 1985 was a quarterback for the Kansas State Wildcats football team in 2004 and 2005 and the Wisconsin Badgers in 2007 and 2008.-2008 Wisconsin Badgers season:...
broke the record with 1,365 yards.
Dickey concluded his collegiate career in 1982 by leading the Wildcats to the school's first bowl appearance in its 87 year history, the 1982 Independence Bowl
1982 Independence Bowl
The 1982 Independence Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Kansas State Wildcats at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 11, 1982...
. He left Kansas State
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
ranked second all-time in pass completions, yards passing, touchdown passes, and total offense.
Dickey remains only player in Kansas State history to lead the school in passing yards and total offense for four consecutive seasons.
NFL Career
He signed free agent contracts in 1983 and 1984 with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
respectively.
Coaching career
Dickey served as a graduate assistant under Jackie SherrillJackie Sherrill
Jackie Sherrill is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Pittsburgh , Texas A&M University , and Mississippi State University , compiling a career college football record of 180–120–4...
at Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in 1985, where he was part of a staff that led the Aggies to their first Southwest Conference title since 1975.
In 1986 he was hired by Charlie Bailey
Charlie Bailey
Charlie Bailey is a former American football coach. He was hired as the head football coach at the University of Memphis in December 1985, where he put together a 12–20–1 record. He resigned from Memphis in 1989 after allegations that two of his athletes lied about contacts with...
at Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
to serve as tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
s coach in 1986. The next season he coached the running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s, and the year after that he was appointed offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. During his time with the Tigers, Memphis upset Southeast Conference powers Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
in 1987 and Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1988. The win against Florida was at The Swamp
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the university's Florida Gators football team. It is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was originally built in 1930, and has been regularly...
.
In 1990, Dickey was hired to coach quarterbacks and running backs at Mississippi State. That season, the Bulldogs beat LSU, 34–22, to end a five-season losing streak to the Bayou Bengals. Dickey pupil Tay Galloway ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
In 1991 Dickey became tight ends coach at Louisiana State
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, where he served until 1993. The 1993 LSU squad upset #1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He then rejoined Charlie Bailey as offensive coordinator at UTEP
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
in 1994 and stayed with the Miners through the 1996 season.
In 1997, he served as offensive coordinator at SMU
SMU
SMU may stand for:*Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, USA**SMU Mustangs, the athletic program of the above school*St. Martin's University in Lacey, Washington, USA*Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
under Mike Cavan
Mike Cavan
-External links:...
. The 1997 Ponies posted their first winning season since the return from their NCAA-imposed "Death Penalty." The season included a 31–9 victory over former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dickey was hired to be the head coach at the University of North Texas following the 1997 season.
Following his stint at North Texas, Dickey became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at New Mexico for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
In 2011, he joined Dennis Franchione at Texas State as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
North Texas
When hired to lead the Mean Green, Darrell Dickey took over a football program which hadn't had a winning season since 1994. In his fourth season at the helm, Dickey's Mean Green won a share of their first Sun Belt Conference title and played in the first of their four consecutive New Orleans Bowls. From 2001–2004, Dickey led UNT to four consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles.From 2001-2005, Dickey's North Texas teams won 26 consecutive Sun Belt Conference games, a streak that began on October 13, 2001 with a 24-21 win over Middle Tennessee State and ended on October 4, 2005 with a 13-10 loss to Troy University.
During his tenure, Darrell Dickey led the UNT to high profile wins over Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
schools Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
(1999) and Baylor
Baylor Bears football
The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...
(2003). Additionally, the Mean Green posted a 2–1 record against Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
during his time in Denton. In 2002, he guided the Mean Green to the only bowl game victory in school history.
After two consecutive losing seasons in 2005 and 2006, Dickey was fired. North Texas paid out the remaining years on his contract.
Current and former NFL players who played for Dickey at North Texas include:
- Phil Armour center, Indianapolis Colts (2000)
- Adrian Awamson defensive end, New York Giants (2005-2007), Minnesota Vikings (2011)
- John Baker punter, St. Louis Rams (2000-2001): Punted for the Rams during their Super Bowl XXXVI season.
- Patrick Cobbs running back, Miami Dolphins (2006-2010)
- Brad Kassell linebacker, Tennessee Titans (2002-2005), New York Jets (2006-2007)
- Cody Spencer linebacker, Tennessee Titans (2004-2005), New York Jets (2006-2008)
- Brian Waters guard, Kansas City Chiefs (2000-2010), New England Patriots (2011): Pro Bowl (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010), First Team All-Pro (2004, 2005), NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner (2009)