Florida State Legend Named Head Coach At Mississippi Valley State University

The former Seminole will be leading a college program for the first time.

Mar 5, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Orlando Guardians head coach Terrell Buckley on the sidelines against the Arlington Renegades during the first half at Choctaw Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Florida State is known as DBU for a reason. The Seminoles have developed countless stars in the defensive backfield over the years and plenty of those players went on to make waves in the NFL. A few have even taken the next step and gotten into coaching.

FSU Legend Terrell Buckley will be back on the sidelines at the college level in 2025. On Tuesday evening, Mississippi Valley State University announced it was hiring Buckley as the program's next head coach. He replaces Kendrick Wade, who was fired in December after two seasons with the Delta Devils.

This will be Buckley's second job as a head coach. He previously led the XFL's Orlando Guardians in 2023 when the franchise finished with a 1-9 record. The Guardians were not included in the merger with the USFL which led to the creation of the UFL.

READ MORE: FSU Offensive Line Coach Herb Hands Shows Off Unique Skills On Recruiting Trail

Mississippi Valley State is an HBCU and a member of the SWAC conference. The Delta Devils compiled a 2-21 record over 2023-24 and have plenty of room to grow under Buckley's leadership.

"We're going to build a culture of accountability, hard work, and belief – because winning starts with the standards we set and the mindset we bring every single day," Buckley said in a release from the program.

Buckley has garnered a large amount of experience at the college level dating back to 2007. He returned to Florida State as a safeties assistant following his playing career in the NFL. Buckley moved to wide receivers assistant before being promoted to graduate assistant in 2009. He helped out in the weight room throughout 2010-11.

After half a decade, he served as the cornerbacks coach at Akron and Louisville. In 2016, Dan Mullen hired him in the same role at Mississippi State. He remained with the program until the end of the 2019 season, when he moved over to Ole Miss to work for Lane Kiffin. Buckley was with the Rebels for two years before making the leap to the XFL.

Buckley starred at Florida State from 1989-91 and he's still the program's all-time leader in interceptions with 21 total picks. He came away with an FSU single-season record 12 interceptions in 1991. To put that in perspective, Deion Sanders recorded 14 total picks during his college career. Buckley's 501 career interception return yards remain an NCAA record for the FBS Divison to this day.

After an illustrious career in the garnet and gold, the Mississippi native was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Buckley went on to play for seven teams, winning a championship in 2002 with the New England Patriots. He recorded 50 total interceptions in his career which included bringing in at least one pick over his first 13 years in the league.

Buckley was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame in 2003 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

---

READ MORE: FSU Football Won’t Hold Spring Showcase Due to Doak Campbell Stadium Renovations

Stick with NoleGameday for more FREE coverage of Florida State Football throughout the offseason

Follow NoleGameday on and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

More Florida State News

• FSU's Mike Norvell Optimistic Regarding Addition Of QB Thomas Castellanos: 'A True Spark'

• Florida State's Mike Norvell Thinks Seminoles Hit "Home Run" With Transfer Portal Haul

• Florida State Defensive Backs Putting In Work This Offseason

• Ex-Florida State Defensive End Named One Of 'Most Impactful Transfers'