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Totten named finalist for Black College HOF

ITTA BENA – Legendary Mississippi Valley State quarterback Willie "Satellite" Totten has been named one of 25 finalists for the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Seven former HBCU standouts will be selected for the Class of 2014 which will be announced October 23. Inductees will be honored at the Fifth Annual Enshrinement Ceremony presented by the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday, March 1, 2014 in Atlanta.

The finalists were selected from a field of 125 nominees by an 11-member selection committee comprised of journalists, historians and football executives. The committee will meet again in the coming weeks to select the seven members (six players and one coach/contributor) to be inducted as the Class of 2014.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established to honor the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from HBCUs. Each inductee's college or university will receive a $5,000 grant to support continuing academic and athletic opportunities at their respective institutions.

PLAYERS FINALISTS
  • Emerson Boozer (RB, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 1962-1965)
  • Robert Brazile (LB, Jackson State University, 1971-1975)
  • Roger Brown (OL, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 1956-1959)
  • Harold Carmichael (WR, Southern University, 1967-1970)
  • Richard Dent (DE, Tennessee State University, 1979-1982)
  • L.C. Greenwood (DE, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 1965-1968)
  • Harold Jackson (WR, Jackson State University, 1965-1968)
  • Leroy Kelly (RB, Morgan State University, 1960-1963)
  • Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd (DL, Grambling State University, 1957-1960)
  • Jethro Pugh (DE, Elizabeth City State University, 1961-1964)
  • Donnie Shell (DB, South Carolina State University, 1970-1973)
  • John Stallworth (WR, Alabama A&M University, 1970-1973)
  • Michael Strahan (DE, Texas Southern University, 1989-1992)
  • Ken Riley (QB, Florida A&M University, 1965-1968)
  • Willie "Satellite" Totten (QB, Mississippi Valley State University, 1982-1985)
  • Otis Taylor (WR, Prairie View A&M University, 1961-1964)
  • Emmitt Thomas (QB/DB, Bishop College, 1962-1965)
  • Everson Walls (DB, Grambling State University, 1977-1980)
  • Doug Wilkerson (OL, North Carolina Central University, 1966-1969)
  • Aeneas Williams (CB, Southern University, 1987-1990)

COACH & CONTRIBTUOR FINALISTS
  • Marino Casem (Head Coach, Alcorn State University, 1963-1992)
  • Joe Gilliam, Sr. (Tennessee State University Defensive Coordinator)
  • William Joe (Head Coach, Central State University 1981-1993, Florida A&M 1994-2004)
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones (President, Grambling State University, 1936-1977)
  • Arnett Mumford (Head Coach, Southern University, 1927-1961)

About Totten
When Totten arrived on the MVSU campus as a freshman, quarterback competition was stiff and an akle injury sidelined him, forcing him to take a red shirt season. Before he had become a part of the squad, the Delta Devils had only fielded a winning team once in the previous 15 seasons.

After clipboard duty as a freshman, Totten came on strong in the spring to earn the starting spot and begin his role in helping MVSU establish a winning tradition while rewriting college football's record books.

Then-head coach Archie Cooley, an innovative and energetic coach, was looking for someone to guide his pass-oriented offense; he found it in Totten, who in his rookie season earned All-SWAC honors. When Totten had finished his career at MVSU, he had helped the Delta Devils to a 28-11-1 record as the captain of "The Satellite Express" offense and passed for over 50 NCAA records. In 1984, he was the national leader in total offensive yards per game, having gained 4,572 yards in 10 games (457.2 per game average). Also, in 1983 and 1984, he was the NCAA annual champion in passing with efficiency ratings of 167.5 and 163.6, respectively.

He was the first quarterback to be voted All-SWAC four consecutive seasons and he earned All-American honors before leaving the Delta Devils. For their collegiate exploits, the former Magnolia Stadium – home of the Delta Devils – was renamed Rice-Totten Stadium in the spring of 1999 in honor of Totten and former MVSU standout receiver Jerry Rice.

Totten's NCAA Records (FCS)
• Most yards gained in a quarter - 278—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val. vs. Kentucky St., Sept. 1, 1984 (2nd)
• Most Consecutive Games Gaining 300 Yards or More in a career - 13—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984-85
• Most Consecutive Games Gaining 400 Yards or More Season - 5—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984
• Most Touchdowns Responsible For (TDs Scored and Passed For) Game - 9—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val. vs. Kentucky St., Sept. 1, 1984 (passed for 9) & vs. Prairie View, Oct. 27, 1984 (passed for 8, scored 1)
• Most Touchdowns Responsible For (TDs Scored and Passed For) Season - 61—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984 (passed for 56, scored 5)
--Also holds per-game record with 6.1 (61 in 10)
• Most Touchdowns Responsible For (TDs Scored and Passed For) Career – Per Game - 3.9, Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1982-85 (157 in 40)
• Most Points Responsible For (Points Scored and Passed For) Game 56—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val. vs. Kentucky St., Sept. 1, 1984 (passed for 9 TDs and 1 two-point conversion)
• Most Points Responsible For (Points Scored and Passed For) Season - 368—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984 (passed for 56 TDs, scored 5 TDs and passed for 1 two-point PAT)
--Also holds per-game record with 36.8 (368 in 10)
• Most Points Responsible For (Points Scored and Passed For) Per-game record—23.7, Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1982-85 (946 in 40)
• Most Passes Completed – Season - Per-game record—32.4, Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984 (324 in 10)
• Most Yards Gained Per Game – Season - 455.7—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984 (4,557 in 10)
• Most Games Gaining 300 Yards or More – Season - 10—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984
• Most Consecutive Games Gaining 300 Yards or More – Season - 10—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984
• Most Yards Gained Against One Opponent – Career - 1,675—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val. vs. Prairie View, 1982-85 (Also holds per-game record with 418.8 (1,675 in 4 seasons)
• Most Touchdown Passes – Game - 9—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val. vs. Kentucky St., Sept. 1, 1984
• Most Touchdown Passes - Season - 56—Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1984; Totten holds per-game record with 5.6 (56 in 10)
• Most Touchdown Passes – Career Per Game - 3.5, Willie Totten, Mississippi Val., 1982-85 (139 in 40)
• Most Touchdown Passes, Same Passer and Receiver – Season - 27—Willie Totten to Jerry Rice, Mississippi Val., 1984
• Most Touchdown Passes, Same Passer and Receiver – Career - 47—Willie Totten to Jerry Rice, Mississippi Val., 1982-84
Current NCAA FCS Career Rankings:
• 7th in Total Offensive Career Yards Per Game – 325.2 yards per game (13,007 total yards in 40 games)
• 2nd in Total Offensive Yards Per game in a season – 457.2 yards per game (4,572 yards in 10 games in 1984)
• 5th in Total Career yards – 13,007 yards (1982-85)
• 4th in Total Season Yards – 4,572 (1984)
• 8th in total Yards in a game – 621 against Prairie View A&M on October 27, 1984
• 6th in Passing Career Yards Per Game – 317.8 (12,711 yards from 1982-85 – 907 comp in 1,555 att.)
• 4th in Passing Career Yards – 12,711 yards from 1982-85 (907 comp in 1,555 att.)
• 3rd in Season Passing Yards – 4,557 yards (1984, 10 games, 324-518-22, 62.6 comp%, 56 TD)
• 2nd in Career Touchdown Passes – 139 TD (1982-85, 40 games)
• 4th in Single-Game Passing yards – 599 against Prairie View A&M on October 27, 1984
• 5th in Single-Game Completions – 46 (vs. Southern, Sept. 29, 1984)

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