Mike Archer (American football)

Mike Archer
Sport(s)	Football
Current position
Title	Defensive coordinator
Team	NC State
Conference	ACC
Biographical details
Born	July 26, 1953 (1953-07-26) (age 58)
Place of birth	State College, Pennsylvania
Playing career
1973–1975	Miami
Position(s)	Defensive back, punter
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976–1977 1978 1979–1983 1984 1985–1986 1987–1990 1991–1992 1993–1994 1995 1996–2002 2003–2006 2007–present	Miami (GA) Miami (assistant) Miami (DB) LSU (DB) LSU (DC/DB) LSU Virginia (LB) Kentucky (DB/LB) Kentucky (AHC/DB/LB) Pittsburgh Steelers (LB) Kentucky (DC) NC State (DC)
Head coaching record
Overall	27–18–1
Bowls	1–1
Statistics
College Football Data Warehouse
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SEC (1988)

Mike Archer (born July 26, 1953) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the defensive coordinator at North Carolina State University. From 1987 to 1990, Archer was the head football coach at Louisiana State University, where he compiled a record of 27–18–1. Archer has also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, University of Miami, the University of Virginia, and the University of Kentucky, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL

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 the LSU Tigers football head coach in 1987 when Arnsparger left to become the athletic director at the University of Florida. Archer was Arnsparger's defensive coordinator in 1985 and 1986, and was Arnsparger's hand-picked successor. When Archer took the LSU head coaching job, he was 34 years old, the youngest head coach in Division I-A football. Archer was chosen over a number of interviewed candidates, which reportedly included Steve Spurrier, Mike Shanahan, and Mack Brown. Arnsparger later hired Spurrier at head football coach at Florida.

In 1987, LSU finished the season ranked #5 in both major polls with a 10–1–1 record, losing only to Alabama and tying Ohio State. It was LSU's first 10-win season in more than 25 years. Archer's Tigers followed up with an 8–4 record and a Southeastern Conference title in 1988. The 1988 season was famous for the "Earthquake Game," a 7–6 victory over Auburn, which ultimately gave LSU a share of the SEC championship. Auburn received a berth in the Sugar Bowl as co-champions, and LSU lost in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

After back-to-back losing seasons in 1989 and 1990, Archer was forced to resign. He lost four of his last five games in 1990, the lone win coming in the season finale against Tulane. Archer was replaced by Curley Hallman, previously the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi.

After leaving LSU, Archer remained in coaching, but strictly as a defensive assistant. In 1991, he became linebackers coach at Virginia. In 1993, moved on to coach linebackers at Kentucky and was named assistant head coach there in 1995. Archer jumped to the NFL in 1996, where he served as linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers for seven years. He returned to Kentucky as defensive coordinator in 2003. Archer resigned from his position at Kentucky on January 10, 2007 to accept the same job at NC State, where he was reunited with Tom O'Brien. Archer and O'Brien worked together at Virginia from 1991–1992.

Head coaching record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches#	AP°
LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (1987–1990)
1987	LSU	10–1–1	5–1	2nd	W Gator	5	5
1988	LSU	8–4	6–1	T–1st	L Hall of Fame		19
1989	LSU	4–7	2–5	T–7th
1990	LSU	5–6	2–5	T–7th
LSU:		27–18–1	15–12
Total:		27–18–1
National Championship         Conference Title         Conference Division Title
#Rankings from final Coaches' Poll. °Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

External links

• NC State profile
• Mike Archer at the College Football Data Warehouse

Sporting positions
Preceded by Larry New	University of Kentucky Defensive Coordinator 1993–1995	Succeeded by Rick Smith
Preceded by John Goodner	University of Kentucky Defensive Coordinator 2003–2006	Succeeded by Steve Brown

Persondata
Name	Archer, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 26, 1953
Place of birth	State College, Pennsylvania
Date of death
Place of death