Former MSU offensive lineman D.J. Looney hired to complete EMCC football coaching staff

SCOOBA – Head coach Buddy Stephens has completed his 2013 East Mississippi Community College football coaching staff with the addition of former Mississippi State University offensive lineman D.J. Looney as an assistant coach.   The hiring has been approved by EMCC President Dr. Rick Young and EMCC Vice President/Director of Athletics Mickey Stokes.

Looney spent the 2012 football season on the Scooba campus serving as an assistant offensive line coach on Stephens' EMCC staff.   Following a brief venture in corporate business to begin the 2013 calendar year, Looney's return to the collegiate gridiron in an expanded role has him primarily assisting Stephens with the day-to-day tutelage of EMCC's offensive linemen.

Last season on EMCC's football coaching staff, Looney played a key role in helping guide the Lions' potent offensive unit to a No. 8 NJCAA team statistical national ranking in rushing offense.  While improving their per-game rushing average by 73 yards from their 2011 NJCAA national championship season, the 8-2 Lions averaged 239 rushing yards per contest last season with 30 rushing touchdowns en route to securing their fourth MACJC North Division championship in five years as well as making a fifth consecutive appearance in the MACJC State Playoffs.

Following his playing career at Mississippi State, Looney remained at his alma mater to serve as a student assistant and graduate assistant on Dan Mullen's MSU coaching staff.  The former three-year letterman worked with the Bulldogs' offensive linemen and quarterbacks in addition to assisting with MSU's special teams.

During his undergraduate days at MSU, Looney was associated with two bowl-game winning teams.  As a redshirt freshman for former MSU head coach Sylvester Croom, the 2007 Bulldogs claimed a 10-3 Liberty Bowl victory over UCF.  Three years later, Mullen's 2010 State squad earned a 52-14 Gator Bowl triumph over Michigan.  Staying on board MSU's coaching staff following his playing days, Looney was associated with a third winning bowl team when the 2011 Bulldogs collected a 23-17 win over Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl.

Looney was just as active off the field as a collegian, serving three years as an SEC Student Advisory Council Representative.  After serving as vice president of MSU's Campus Student Advisory Council in 2008, he was elevated to the president's position the following year.  Looney was also a three-year member of the NCAA Football Issues Committee.

A three-year starter for head coach Jerry Hood at Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, Ala., Looney was rated as the No. 11 offensive center prospect in the nation by ESPN.com and 12^th nationally by Rivals.com.  He capped his prep career by being named to the Class 6A All-State First Team as a senior and garnering first-team, all-metro honors by the Birmingham News.