Louisiana OL Coach D.J. Looney Dies After Suffering Heart Attack at Practice

Louisiana offensive line coach D.J. Looney died Saturday after suffering a heart attack at a team workout at Cajun Field.

According to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, Looney was pronounced dead after being transported to a medical center in Lafayette, La. He leaves behind a mother, father and sister.

"The entire Mississippi State Family is deeply saddened and heartbroken by the loss of one of our very own in D.J. Looney," Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen said in a statement. "D.J. was an outstanding student-athlete and coach and an even better person. He had such a positive personality, attitude and always a smile on his face. D.J. will be remembered and missed by all who knew and loved him."

Looney, 31, was entering his third season with Louisiana and had played a key role in developing its offensive line. He worked closely with former Rajin' Cajuns Robert Hunt and Kevin Dotson, who were drafted by the Dolphins and Steelers in 2020.

Louisiana hired Looney in 2017 after he served as a tight ends coach at his alma mater Mississippi State. The Bulldogs won two bowl games during his career as an offensive lineman. When he was a redshirt freshman, MSU beat UCF in the 2007 Liberty Bowl, and the team went on to win the 2010 Gator Bowl over Michigan.

Looney previously coached at Georgia as an offensive graduate assistant under head coach Kirby Smart and worked as East Mississippi Community College's offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. Looney started his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant on Dan Mullen's staff at Mississippi State in 2011.