Tag: D.J. Looney

Former Mississippi State player, coach dies of heart attack at the age of 31

D.J. Looney was only 31 years of age.

Sad news out of the state of Louisiana today as the University of Louisiana announced that assistant coach D.J. Looney died of a heart attack during a football team workout. He was 31.

“At this time, the Department of Athletics asks that fans, friends and acquaintances of Coach Looney keep his family and the football program in their thoughts and prayers,” the university released in a statement.

This was to be Looney’s third season with the Ragin’ Cajuns as its offensive line coach where he had mentored players such as Kevin Dotson, the first AP first-team All-American in the programs history and fourth round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Looney played football at Mississippi State where he graduated in 2010. He served on the NCAA Football Issues Committee for three years while in Starkville and on the SEC Student Advisory Council.

University of Louisiana assistant coach D.J. Looney suffers fatal heart attack at practice

University of Louisiana assistant coach D.J. Looney has died at 31

Tragedy strikes college football Saturday as 31-year-old offensive line coach D.J. Looney suffered a fatal heart attack during Louisiana football practice.

The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Department of Athletics mourns the sudden loss of Louisiana Football assistant coach D.J. Looney, who passed away Saturday morning following a heart attack during a team workout at Cajun Field.

Looney, 31, was entering his third season on staff with the Ragin’ Cajuns, working specifically with the offensive line.

At this time, the Department of Athletics asks that fans, friends and acquaintances of Coach Looney keep his family and the football program in their thoughts and prayers.

Per TheAdvertiser.com:

Looney worked closely with two Cajuns selected in this year’s NFL Draft, Miami’s Robert Hunt and Pittsburgh’s Kevin Dotson.

Looney played football and was a former coaching staff member at Mississippi State, where he got his coaching start as an offensive graduate assistant on Dan Mullen’s staff in 2011 that won the Music City Bowl.

The three-year letterman worked with Mississippi state’s offensive linemen and quarterbacks in addition to assisting with MSU’s special teams.

At MSU, Looney was associated with two bowl-game winning teams as an offensive lineman. As a redshirt freshman, the 2007 Bulldogs beat UCF in the Liberty Bowl. He also was on the 2010 Mississippi State team that beat Michigan in the Gator Bowl.

Looney played football and was a former coaching staff member at Mississippi State, where he got his coaching start as an offensive graduate assistant on Dan Mullen’s staff in 2011 that won the Music City Bowl.

The three-year letterman worked with Mississippi state’s offensive linemen and quarterbacks in addition to assisting with MSU’s special teams.

At MSU, Looney was associated with two bowl-game winning teams as an offensive lineman. As a redshirt freshman, the 2007 Bulldogs beat UCF in the Liberty Bowl. He also was on the 2010 Mississippi State team that beat Michigan in the Gator Bowl.