Our guest speaker for this meeting will be Mike Archer, former Head Football Coach at Louisiana State University (LSU). In 1984, Archer joined LSU as an assistant coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1985, a role in which he significantly improved the Tigers’ defense. In 1987, Archer was named Head Coach, becoming the youngest head coach in Division I-A football at the age of 34.
Archer’s inaugural Head Coach season in 1987 was remarkable. The Tigers achieved a 10–1–1 record, their first 10-win season in over 25 years, finishing ranked No. 5 in both major polls. The only blemishes were a tie against Ohio State and a loss to Alabama. Despite these setbacks, the season was considered a significant success.
The 1988 season saw the Tigers share the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title with a 6–1 conference record, ending the season at 8–4 overall. A highlight of that year was the “Earthquake Game” against Auburn, where the crowd’s reaction to a last-minute touchdown was so intense that it registered on a seismograph in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
After departing LSU, Archer continued his coaching career, primarily focusing on defensive roles. He served as the linebackers coach at the University of Virginia from 1991 to 1992, and then at the University of Kentucky from 1993 to 1995, where he was also the assistant head coach in his final year.
In 1996, Archer transitioned to the National Football League (NFL), joining the Pittsburgh Steelers as their linebackers coach. During his seven-year tenure with the Steelers, the team consistently performed well, making multiple playoff appearances.
Archer returned to college football in 2003 as the defensive coordinator for the University of Kentucky, a position he held until 2006. He then moved to North Carolina State University, serving as the defensive coordinator from 2007 to 2012. In 2014, he rejoined the University of Virginia’s coaching staff, initially as the safeties coach and later as the associate head coach and linebackers coach.
Expanding his coaching experience internationally, Archer joined the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts in 2017 as their linebackers coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2018. His tenure with the Argonauts was highlighted by a Grey Cup championship in 2017.
In 2020, Archer became the linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL, further diversifying his coaching portfolio.
Archer was born in State College, Pennsylvania and played football and graduated from the University of Miami prior to transitioning into coaching.
Mark Your Calendar
3/5/25 – Manny Diaz, Head Football Coach, Duke
3/19/25 – Dave Odom, College Basketball Guru
4/2/25 – Special Guest Speaker