by Bill Martin, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Communications
STARKVILLE, MS – For over five decades, Rockey Felker has bled Maroon and White during a Mississippi State career that has seen him as an SEC Player of the Year at quarterback, an assistant coach, a head coach and an administrator. On Saturday evening, he added another accolade to his storied list as Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer.
Felker highlighted a six-member 2019 class that was inducted in a ceremony in Jackson.
The group includes legendary high school coach and former Bulldog Ricky Black, golfer Cissye Gallagher, football standout Wilbert Montgomery, Starkville’s Roy Oswalt and Richard Price.
“It is quite the honor to be going into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame with this prestigious group of inductees,” Felker said. “There are so many people who deserve to be in it who aren’t in it, and it’s just quite an honor to be selected. I honestly never really dreamed of having this opportunity.”
Felker, who was born in Jackson, Tennessee, signed a scholarship with the Bulldogs in December 1970. After playing one year of freshman ball, he was under center for most of the next three seasons, running the veer option to perfection.
In 1974, Felker led the SEC in total offense and directed the Bulldogs to a win over North Carolina in the Sun Bowl en route to a 9-3 record. He was named the Nashville Banner SEC Player of the Year and the Birmingham Post-Herald Outstanding Senior Player for his stellar final season.
“It was a fun to be a part of that success we had in the 1970s,” he said. “Those were some memorable years with some incredible teammates.”
At age 33, Felker was the nation’s youngest collegiate head coach when he was selected to guide the MSU football program in 1986. He directed the Bulldogs to a 6-5 mark in his first season at the helm, the school’s first winning season in five years. Felker’s team won road games at Syracuse and produced an iconic 27-23 upset over defending SEC champion Tennessee during the 1986 season in Knoxville. Felker became the first State head coach to post a winning record in his initial season since the legendary Darrell Royal in 1954. He served as the Bulldogs’ head football coach through the 1990 season.
Immediately prior to rejoining the MSU program, he was an assistant at Alabama from 1983-85. He served as the Crimson Tide receivers coach in 1983-84 and the offensive backfield coach in ’85. During his stay in Tuscaloosa, he helped Alabama to bowl wins over SMU (’83 Sun Bowl) and USC (’85 Aloha Bowl).
Felker began his coaching career at State following his playing days, working for head coach Bob Tyler. He worked with the junior varsity (1975) and the varsity receivers, quarterbacks and running backs (1976-78).
Felker’s loyalty to his alma mater is undeniable. He served stints as coordinator of football operations, running backs coach (2006-08) and director of player development on the staffs of Jackie Sherrill, Sylvester Croom and Dan Mullen. He was inducted into the MSU M-Club Hall of Fame in 1997. Today, Felker assists with the MSU Bulldog Club and is active with the MSU M-Club.
The Felkers have made an everlasting impact in Starkville. It’s quite often to see Felker’s former players visit his office when they come to town. His wife of 42 years, Susan Tingle, was an inspiration to many. Susan was a compassionate counselor and mentor for students with disabilities and first generation college students as part of MSU’s Student Support Services program. She passed away on Feb. 24 earlier this year after a lengthy battle with cancer.
“I had the opportunity to come here and play, to be an assistant coach, to be a head coach and work in many different capacities,” Felker reflected. “Five decades of being a part of Mississippi State is just really special and has meant so much to me and my family.”
(PHOTO: Rockey Felker – courtesy Bill Martin, Senior Associate Athletic Director/Communications, Mississippi State University)
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