Curley Hallman Hudson " Curley " Hallman ( born September 3 , 1947 ) is a former American football player and coach . He served as the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi ( 1988 – 1990 ) and Louisiana State University ( 1991 – 1994 ) , compiling a career record of 39 – 39 . Early years . Growing up near Tuscaloosa , Alabama , Hallman aspired to play for Alabama under head coach Bear Bryant . Alabama did not recruit him , although Gene Stallings at Texas A & M did . He played on the Aggies ' 1967 squad , which garnered a Southwest Conference championship and a Cotton Bowl Classic win . In the bowl game , Hallman intercepted two passes by Alabama quarterback Ken Stabler . Hallman graduated from the school in 1970 . As an assistant coach , Hallman served four seasons ( 1973 – 1976 ) under Bear Bryant at Alabama , and six seasons ( 1982 – 1987 ) under Jackie Sherrill at his alma mater coaching the defensive backs of the famed Wrecking Crew before being offered a head coaching position at Southern Miss . He coached linebackers ( 1979 – 1980 ) and defensive backs ( 1981 ) at Clemson University under Danny Ford . Southern Miss . In 1987 , Hallman became the head coach at Southern Miss , where he proceeded to compile the highest winning percentage in school history with the help of future NFL star quarterback , Brett Favre . Hallman coached the Golden Eagles to a 23 – 11 record in three seasons . In his first year , he guided the team to a 1988 Independence Bowl victory over the UTEP Miners . Over the next two seasons , Southern Miss gained a reputation as " giant killers " , thanks to victories over national powers such as Florida State and Alabama , all on the road . LSU . On November 28 , 1990 , Hallman was hired to coach the LSU Tigers . During four seasons in Baton Rouge , he compiled the lowest winning percentage ( min . 10 games ) in school history at . 364 . His overall record was 16 – 28 . During Hallman ' s first season in 1991 , several of Hallman ' s football players were accused of instigating a fight with LSU men ' s basketball players , including All - American Shaquille O ' Neal , in Broussard Hall , LSU ' s athletic dormitory , two days prior to the Tigers ' contest with Mississippi State . LSU started the 1991 season with one - sided losses to Georgia ( 31 – 10 ) and Hallman ' s alma mater , Texas A & M ( 45 – 7 ) , and finished 5 – 6 . The season marked the second time LSU suffered three consecutive losing seasons and the first time since 1954 to 1956 . The 1992 season included being shut out 32 – 0 by Ole Miss on Halloween , and beaten 30 – 6 at Arkansas in the season finale , which was the first meeting between the Tigers and the Razorbacks upon Arkansas joining the SEC . The Tigers finished 2 – 9 , still the worst in school history . In 1993 , LSU ' s centennial football season , the Tigers lost 58 – 3 to the Florida Gators in Tiger Stadium , the worst loss in school history . Amazingly , just four weeks after that , the Tigers stunned the Alabama Crimson Tide , 17 – 13 , at Bryant - Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa , ending the Tide ' s 31 - game unbeaten streak . LSU entered the season finale at 5 – 5 , with a chance at its first bowl bid since the end of the 1988 season . However , the Tigers gave up 412 yards rushing in a 42 – 24 loss to Arkansas at home . The beginning of the end for Hallman came on September 17 , 1994 at Jordan - Hare Stadium against Auburn . LSU led 23 – 9 early in the fourth quarter , and the Bayou Bengals were in good position to end Auburn ' s 13 - game winning streak . But LSU quarterback Jamie Howard threw two interceptions that were returned for Auburn touchdowns , tying the game . LSU regained the lead with a field goal , but when the Bayou Bengals were trying to run out the clock , Howard threw his fifth interception of the game , and incredibly , Auburn returned the pick for another touchdown , giving the home team a 30 – 26 lead . LSU drove into Auburn territory in the game ' s waning seconds , but Howard ' s sixth interception sealed the win for Auburn . Three days after a 20 – 18 loss to Southern Miss in front of a half - empty Death Valley , LSU athletic director Joe Dean fired Hallman after he refused to resign . Later years . Hallman continued working at the college level as a position coach and coordinator for another decade , with stops at SEC schools Alabama and Mississippi State . From 2004 to 2007 , he served as head coach at Muscle Shoals High School in Muscle Shoals , Alabama . His first season at Muscle Shoals resulted in a 3 – 7 record . At the conclusion of the 2007 regular season , the Muscle Shoals Trojans had compiled another dismal 4 – 6 record , their fourth straight losing season under Hallman . On January 14 , 2008 , the Muscle Shoals Board of Education accepted Hallman ' s resignation as head coach . He was replaced by Cordova High School ' s former head coach Scott Basden . Hallman is married to Alabama State Senator Tammy Irons of Florence .