Mike Archer
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Mike Archer (born on July 26 1953 in State College, Pennsylvania) is a defensive coordinator for the NC State Wolfpack. Archer recently resigned from the University of Kentucky to serve under coach Tom O'Brien at North Carolina State University. Archer came to LSU as an assistant coach in 1984 after being both a player and an assistant coach at Miami. He replaced Bill Arnsparger as LSU head coach in 1987, when Arnsparger left for the University of Florida to become athletic director. He was Arnsparger's defensive coordinator in 1985 and 1986, and was Arnsparger's hand-picked successor. When he took the job, he was 34 years old, and the youngest head coach in Division I-A football. Some LSU supporters were unhappy with the decision to turn over a nationally-respected team to a young coach with no previous head coaching experience. Archer was also chosen over a number of interviewed candidates, which reportedly included Steve Spurrier, Mike Shanahan and Mack Brown. Ironically, Arnsparger would later hire Spurrier at Florida, and the Gators would become a national powerhouse.
Archer's first two years were memorable at LSU. In 1987, LSU finished in the top ten with a 10-1-1 record, the only loss to Alabama. It was LSU's first 10-win season in more than 25 years. He followed it up with an SEC Championship in 1988, and an 8-4 record. The season was also famous for the "Earthquake Game," a 7-6 victory over Auburn, which would ultimately be the deciding factor in LSU's SEC Championship. However, Auburn still got the Sugar Bowl berth as co-champions, and LSU lost in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
After 1988, things fell apart in a hurry. Archer's back-to-back losing seasons in 1989 and 1990 cast doubt on his recruiting ability. The seasons were marked by bad performances on the field and questionable behavior by players off the field. Many people initially in Archer's camp now decided that he was indeed not ready to coach a major college program, and he was fired after the 1990 season. Archer lost four of his last five games, the win coming in the finale against Tulane. He was replaced by University of Southern Mississippi head coach Curley Hallman.
After leaving LSU, Archer remained in coaching, but strictly as a defensive coach. In 1991, he became linebackers coach at the University of Virginia. In 1993, Archer became linebackers coach and assistant head coach at Kentucky. He moved on to the NFL in 1996, where he served as linebacker coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers for seven years. However, Archer returned to Kentucky as the defensive coordinator in 2003.
Archer resigned from UK on January 10, 2007 in order to accept the same job at NC State, where he was reunited with Tom O'Brien. Archer and O'Brien worked together at Virginia in 1991-92. Archer had been the defensive coordinator at UK from 2003-2006. He had worked to build a unit that was challenged by low scholarship numbers, injuries, and inexperience. After UK Coach Rich Brooks took over play calling the defense began showing signs of improvement during the 2006 season, as the Wildcats posted an 8-5 record, including a 28-20 victory over Clemson in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl.
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| Preceded by Bill Arnsparger |
Louisiana State University Head Football Coach 1987-1990 |
Succeeded by Curley Hallman |
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