O ff e n s i v e C o o r d i n a t o r / Running Backs
Darrell Dickey K a n s a s S tat e , 1983 Second Season
Glance
ALMA MATER Kansas State, 1983 Bachelor’s degree in business administration PLAYING EXPERIENCE 1979-82: Kansas State (Quarterback) FAMILY Wife - Tory Daughter - Meredith COACHING EXPERIENCE 1985: Texas A&M (GA) 1986-89: Memphis (Offensive Coord./RB/TE) 1990: Mississippi State (QB/RB) 1991-93: LSU (TE) 1994-96: UTEP (Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coord.) 1997: SMU (Offensive Coordinator) 1998-2006: North Texas (Head Coach) 2007-08: Utah State (Offensive Coord./QB) 2009-10: New Mexico (Offensive Coord./RB) 2011: Texas State (Co-Offensive Coord./RB) 2012-Present: Memphis (Offensive Coord./RB) BOWL COACHING EXPERIENCE January 1986: Cotton Bowl
Players
December 2001: New Orleans Bowl December 2002: New Orleans Bowl December 2003: New Orleans Bowl December 2004: New Orleans Bowl RECRUITING AREA Western TN (outside Memphis), Houston
History 19
#goTigersgo
Records
North Texas participated in four-consecutive New Orleans Bowls from 2001-04. He guided the Mean Green to nine wins for the first time in 23 years in the 2003 season, after winning eight contests a year earlier. In the 2003 New Orleans Bowl, Dickey’s squad suffered a 27-17 loss to Memphis at the Louisiana Superdome. The Mean Green also had a 7-5 mark in 2004. Under his direction, North Texas landed 70 players on All-Sun Belt Conference teams, including 39 first team selections. Dickey was named the head coach of the Sun Belt Conference’s 30th Anniversary Team in 2004. Dickey also guided the Mean Green to its first bowl win in 57 years when North Texas defeated Cincinnati in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. Running back Kevin Galbreath was named the New Orleans Bowl MVP. North Texas produced back-to-back NCAA rushing leaders in Patrick Cobbs (2003) and Jamario Thomas (2004). Cobbs led the nation with 152.7 yards per game in 2003, and Thomas repeated the feat with 180.1 yards per contest in 2004. In his final season at North Texas, Dickey suffered a heart attack on Oct. 13, 2006, but missed just one game. In a nine-month span, Dickey had his gall bladder removed, was diagnosed with diabetes and suffered a heart attack. The offensive-minded Dickey went to North Texas after serving as offensive coordinator at SMU in 1997. That season, the Mustangs posted their
2012 Review
2013 Memphis Football Media Guide
at a
Coaching Staff
Darrell Dickey is in his second stint as the University of Memphis offensive coordinator. Dickey, who served as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator from 1986-89, returned to the program in the same capacity in 2012. He also coaches the Tigers’ running backs. Last year, the Tigers’ offense raised its offensive total in conference games from 243 yards per game to 327.1 yards an outing (26 percent increase in yardage from 2011 to 2012). In C-USA games, Memphis raised its rushing offense total by 63 percent. Overall, the Tigers averaged 318.33 yards of total offense during Dickey’s first season back as offensive coordinator in 2012. The season total represented a 44-yard improvement from the 2011 season. Memphis ranked next to last nationally in rushing offense in 2011 but almost doubled its rushing average, improving its rushing total to 151.75 yards per game in 2012. The student-athletes Dickey mentored in 2012 included Brandon Hayes, a walkon who did not see playing time until the fourth game who went on to be selected the 2012 Isaac Bruce Offensive Player of the Year award winner. In Dickey’s first season at the University of Memphis, the Tigers posted a 4-4 mark in Conference USA play, winning more league games in 2012 than the previous three seasons combined. Memphis’ 4-8 overall record marked the team’s best finish since 2008. Dickey, who has over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, was the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Texas State in 2011. Texas State’s rushing attack averaged 195 yards a game and scored 20 of the team’s 35 offensive touchdowns. The Bobcats finished the season with a 6-6 record and averaged 345 yards of total offense. Against Southeastern Louisiana, Texas State logged 336 yards on 45 carries and three touchdowns. In seven of the 12 games in 2011, the Bobcats tallied at least 200 yards rushing, and the squad registered at least 40 carries in nine games. Dickey made his move to Texas State after spending two seasons as offensive coordinator and running backs coach at New Mexico. He also served as offensive coordinator at Utah State in 2007-08. During his tenure at New Mexico, Dickey helped install a new offense that featured Freshman All-America tight end Lucas Reed and some of the most talented newcomers in the Mountain West Conference. The newcomers included wide receiver Ty Kirk and running backs Demond Dennis and Kasey Carrier. While at Utah State, Dickey’s offense produced 1,653 rushing yards in 2008, the school’s highest total in nine seasons. In addition, Aggies signal-caller Diondre Borel was one of seven quarterbacks nationally to lead their respective teams in rushing and passing. Dickey went to Utah State after serving nine years as the North Texas head coach from 1998-2006. He guided the Mean Green to four-consecutive Sun Belt Conference (SBC) championships from 2001-04 with a combined league record of 25-1. Dickey’s overall record in SBC play was 29-11, including a 26-game conference win streak that stretched from 2001-05.
Dickey
BORN December 6, 1959 Houston, Texas
Media
ranked among the national leaders in total offense with their average of 440.2 yards per game. In 2010, Fuente helped direct TCU to single-season school marks in touchdowns (73), points scored (541), total offense (6,199 yards) and first downs (327). The Horned Frogs ranked fourth nationally in scoring (41.6 points per game), sixth in passing efficiency (166.9), 10th in rushing (247.4 yards per game) and 12th in total offense (476.9 yards per game). In his first season as co-offensive coordinator, Fuente helped direct a record-setting 2009 TCU attack. The Horned Frogs established then single-season school marks for points scored (498), total offense (5,937 yards), touchdowns (65) and first downs (311). TCU ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense (239.5 yards per game) and scoring (38.3 points per game), while placing seventh in total offense (456.7 yards per game) and eighth in passing efficiency (154.1). With Fuente as running backs coach in 2008, the Horned Frogs had a “running back-by-committee” attack. TCU ranked 12th nationally in rushing, despite not having a player ranked among the top-96 rushers in the country. TCU’s 220.2 yards per game rushing was its highest mark since 2000 when LaDainian Tomlinson keyed a Frogs ground game that averaged 275.6 yards per game. During that 2008 campaign, Fuente helped develop tailback Aaron Brown into being a 2009 NFL Draft sixth-round selection of the Detroit Lions. Fuente made the move to TCU after spending six seasons as quarterbacks coach at Illinois State. His final three years saw him double as the Redbirds offensive coordinator. Under Fuente’s direction, Illinois State ranked in the top-10 nationally in total offense in 2005 and 2006. The Redbirds ranked eighth in 2006 with an average of 397.5 yards per game, after ranking fifth in both total offense (477.6 yards) and scoring (39.2 points) in 2005. Fuente coached Redbirds quarterback Luke Drone to All-Gateway Conference first team honors, as he led the league in passing (227.8 yards per game) and total offense (231.6 yards per game). Running back Pierre Rembert set an Illinois State single-season record with 1,743 yards, while also ranking sixth nationally in rushing with 134.1 yards per contest. As a college quarterback, Fuente played two seasons (1996-97) at Oklahoma under then-Sooners offensive coordinator Dick Winder. Fuente set an Oklahoma freshman record with 11 touchdown passes. He transferred to Murray State for his final two years of eligibility. Fuente set 11 school records at Murray State, including total offense and passing yards in a game and season. In 1999, he was the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Offensive Player of the Year and a Walter Payton Award finalist, given annually to the nation’s top player in Division I-AA. Fuente is a 1999 graduate of Murray State. Following his collegiate career, Fuente played professionally with the Oklahoma Wranglers in the Arena League. Fuente and his wife, Jenny, have three daughters, Cecilia, Caroline and Charlotte.