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Mississippi Valley State University has named former NFL and Florida State star Terrell Buckley as its new head coach. The Delta Devils are the latest HBCU to bring in a former NFL player to lead their football program. The institution announced the hire of Buckley via a press release on Tuesday afternoon. The addition of Buckley comes after the departure of former head coach Kendrick Wade, who departed the program at the end of the season. Now, Wade serves as an offensive analyst at Memphis.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Buckley as the new head coach of the Mississippi Valley State University football team. He brings a winning mindset, a deep commitment to developing our student-athletes both on and off the field, and a vision that aligns perfectly with our program's values,” said athletic director George Ivory.
“We're going to build a culture of accountability, hard work, and belief – because winning starts with the standards we set and the mindset we bring every single day,” said Buckley.
Meanwhile, Mississippi Valley State president Dr. Jerryl Briggs expressed a high level of exuberance, saying, “We look forward to the wealth of experience and knowledge Coach Buckley will bring to our football program and university. We are in Motion!”
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Terrell Buckley's hiring at Mississippi Valley State marks a special homecoming. Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Buckley first gained recognition in high school football before continuing his career at Florida State. As a Seminole, he became a standout player, earning a spot as a two-year starter and three-year letterman from 1989 to 1991.
He left Florida State as the program's all-time leader in interceptions (21) and interception return yards (501), with his NCAA record for career interception return yardage still standing today. In 1990, Buckley received the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing him as the nation’s top cornerback, and went on to finish seventh in Heisman voting during his senior year in 1991.
Buckley was selected as the fifth overall pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1992 NFL Draft. He achieved an impressive feat by recording at least one interception in 13 consecutive seasons. Despite having over 50 career interceptions, he, like Florida A&M legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ken Riley, never made a Pro Bowl. During his rookie season in 1992, Buckley set a record as the youngest player in NFL history to return a punt for a touchdown, at just 21 years and 105 days old—a record that still stands. Interestingly, it was the only punt return touchdown of his career.
Buckley brings a wealth of diverse coaching experience, having served as an assistant safeties and wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Florida State. He has also coached cornerbacks at Akron, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss, and gained head coaching experience in the UFL with the Orlando Guardians.
