ATLANTA — Former Alcorn State University football coach Marino Casem and former Mississippi Valley State University coach Archie “Gunslinger” Cooley were honored by the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) on behalf of HBCU institutions for their impact on college football.

Football Awards from the Chick-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. It highlights coaches, athletes, and writers as they reflect on the significance of HBCU schools’ impact on college football.

Casem was the head football coach at Alcorn for 22 seasons, during which Alcorn won seven SWAC football championships and four Black College national titles. A seven-time SWAC Coach of the Year, Casem was named to the SWAC Hall of Fame in 1992, Alcorn Hall of Fame in 1993, College Football Hall of Fame in 1998 and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Marino posted a career head coaching record of 159-93-8 which also included three years at Southern from 1987-88 and 1992.

Cooley amassed a career record of 83-78-5 over his 19-year coaching career. The Jackson State alum found most of his success with MVSU from 1980-86, during which time he coached the likes of Jerry Rice and Willie Totten in leading the Delta Devils to a 42-27-2 record over that span. Cooley also posted a 27-13-2 record at Arkansas-Pine Bluff during its stint as an NAIA Independent.

The NCFAA encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org for more information.