Mississippi Valley Narrows Search for Football Coach

ITTA BENA, MS – Members of Mississippi Valley State University’s Head Football Coach Search Committee have narrowed the list of applicants for the vacancy by submitting four names of candidates to Athletics Director Lonza Hardy Jr.

The committee members, comprised of alumni, athletic and administrative staff and a student-athlete representative, convened on Thursday, December 13, to review the list of applicants.

The four candidates to be interviewed between December 18 and December 19 will be Haney Catchings, Mario Kirksey, Clifton Moore and Willie Totten.

Catchings, a 1972 graduate of Alcorn State University, is currently the head football and track and field coach at Seventy First High School in Fayetteville, NC. His resume includes head coaching stints at Prairie View A&M University and Tuskegee University.

Kirksey, a former standout linebacker at Jackson State University, is now a principal at nearby Shaw High School. The 1983 JSU grad served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Alcorn State from 1994-98 and as a linebackers coach for the Delta Devils from 1987-89.

Moore is a 1976 graduate of MVSU and is currently in his eighth year as the defensive coordinator at Florida A&M University of the Mid- Eastern Athletic Conference. The Charleston, MS native headed the West Virginia State College football program from 1984-89 and was defensive coordinator at Central State for three years prior to moving on to FAMU.

Totten, also a graduate of MVSU in 1986, most recently served as the Delta Devils’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. The former quarterback at MVSU is directing the recruiting activities and overseeing the Delta Devils football operations until a successful candidate has been named.

Hardy said he hopes the new coach will be named before the school closes for the holiday break on December 21.

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