By By Jeff Byrd / sports editor
June 3, 2003
Current Mississippi State assistant football coach Curley Hallman will join Mississippi State University president J. Charles Lee and the Bully mascot at tonight's annual "Bulldog Family Celebration."
The event is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the Kahlmus Auditorium on the campus of Mississippi State-Meridian. It is sponsored by the Lauderdale County Chapter of the MSU Alumni Association and the Bulldog Club.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12-and-under.
Chapter president Marcus Irby is elated to have Dr. Lee and Hallman speak to the local Bulldog alumni.
Kids are invited to attend the meeting with their parents. Bully will be on hand to take photos with the kids and sign autographs.
Hallman will be making his first appearance at the event since joining Jackie Sherrill's football staff last year. The Tuscaloosa native is the Bulldogs' defensive backs coach.
Hallman broke out on the collegiate scene as a successful head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. He coached current Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre through his final three seasons leading the Golden Eagles to a 23-11 record including bowl games in Shreveport and Birmingham.
Hallman's proudest moment came when he led USM to season-opening upset of then top-ranked Florida State at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
His success at USM landed Hallman the head coaching job at LSU. Hallman coached at LSU for four seasons before being dismissed in 1994.
After two years out of football, Hallman joined the staff at Alabama which was just a short drive from his Northport home. He also coached a year in the XFL with the Birmingham Thunderbolts.
In 2002, Hallman was coaxed back into the SEC by long-time friend in Jackie Sherrill to join his staff at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs finished the 2002 season with a 3-8 record.
Hallman is a graduate of Texas A&M University and coached on Sherrill's staff when he was the head coach at A&M from 1982-87.