By WLBT Digital | August 1, 2020 at 4:30 PM CDT – Updated August 1 at 4:44 PM
Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi State University is mourning the loss of a former student-athlete and coach, D.J. Looney.
The 31 year old died suddenly after collapsing at a team practice Saturday morning at Cajun Field in Lafayette where he served as an assistant offensive line coach for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
MSU Athletic Director John Cohen said, “The entire Mississippi State Family is deeply saddened and heartbroken by the loss of one of our very own in D.J. Looney. 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. Our thoughts and prayers are with D.J., his family, his friends, his former teammates, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Mississippi State.”
Looney, 31, was entering his third season on staff with the Ragin’ Cajuns as an assistant offensive line coach. Before his time at Louisiana, Looney served as a tight ends coach at MSU, where he played offensive line from 2007-10. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs in 2011. He also served as a graduate assistant at Georgia in 2016, held the position of tackles and tight ends coach at Central Arkansas for two seasons from 2014-15, and was recruiting coordinator at East Mississippi Community College from 2012-13.
Looney earned his degree from Mississippi State in arts and sciences in 2010. He served three years as an SEC Student Advisory Council Representative. After serving as vice president of MSU’s Campus Student Advisory Council in 2008, he was elevated to the president’s position the following year. Looney was also a three-year member of the NCAA Football Issues Committee.
Today, the Bulldog Family mourns the loss of former football student-athlete and coach D.J. Looney.
Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and all who knew and loved him.https://t.co/apRGhKn6a8
— Mississippi State Athletics (@HailState) August 1, 2020
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