1984 record 9–2 (6–1 SWAC) | Head coach Archie Cooley | |
Conference Southwestern Athletic Conference | ||
The 1984 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils team represented the Mississippi Valley State University in the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA college football season. Its head coach was Archie Cooley.
Contents
Regular season
As a senior in 1984, Jerry Rice broke his own Division I-AA records for receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,845). His 27 touchdown receptions in that 1984 season set the NCAA mark for all divisions.
The 1984 season was also memorable for the Delta Devils as the club attracted national attention. The Delta Devils scored 628 points (an average of more than 59 per game). Rice caught 17 passes for 199 yards against Southern, 17 for 294 against Kentucky State and 15 for 285 against Jackson State, the first time MVSU beat them since 1954.
Rice scored five touchdowns twice that year. He finished his career with 301 catches for 4,693 yards and 50 touchdowns. His NCAA record for total career touchdown receptions stood until October 7, 2006, when University of New Hampshire wide receiver David Ball, recorded his fifty-first career receiving touchdown.
Even though Willie Totten was the quarterback, Rice was the biggest name on the team and was named to every All-American team (including the AP squad) and finished ninth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1984. In the Blue Gray Classic all-star game played on Christmas Day, he earned MVP honors.