Southern adds a SWAC football legend and a Baton Rouge native to its coaching staff

The man who broke dozens of passing records as Jerry Rice’s quarterback will be coaching Southern’s quarterbacks this season.

Willie “Satellite” Totten is joining coach Eric Dooley’s staff along with wide receivers coach Chad Williams, a Baton Rouge native and former NFL player, according to multiple sources close to Southern.

Dooley confirmed his addition of two assistant coaches but declined to identify them. Both were on the field coaching for Southern’s first day of spring drills Wednesday.

Totten, the quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach at Mississippi Valley State for the previous four seasons, replaces Jonathan Williams, who left Southern to become offensive coordinator at Benedict College under former Southern offensive coordinator Chennis Berry.

Williams replaces Devin Fosselman, who moved on to become offensive coordinator at East Mississippi Community College.

“I encourage that when two guys get an opportunity to move on as coordinators, give them an opportunity to get where they want to go,” Dooley said. “Those positions are pretty much taken care of.”

Totten was a Division I-AA All-American who broke 50 passing records at Valley, throwing to Jerry Rice and a slew of skilled receivers. Totten played pro football in Canada and spent one season with the Buffalo Bills.

Totten began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Grambling in 1988. He was an assistant at his alma mater (1990-97), spent two seasons coaching high school football and returned to Valley as offensive coordinator (2000-01).

He took over as head coach of the Delta Devils and compiled a 31-57 record from 2002-09.

After that, Totten spent a year as Albany State quarterbacks coach and four seasons in the same role at Alabama A&M before returning to Valley in 2019.

Williams played at Madison Prep and Grambling, after which he was picked in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, the 98th player overall. He played two seasons with Arizona, one with Indianapolis and three with Kansas City.