Former Pillow Academy football coach Riley Myers died in a tree cutting accident Monday in Simpson County near Magee.
Myers, who resigned at Pillow in April 2005 after 13 years at the school, was killed Monday morning around 11 when a large limb from the tree he was cutting fell on him, according to Simpson County Coroner Terry Tutor.
“Riley was a great friend. This is a sad day for many people,” said Madison-Ridgeland Academy Head of School Termie Land, who was the headmaster at Pillow during most of Myers’ tenure at the school. “Riley was first and foremost a great guy. He was also a great coach who loved his kids. He was so loyal and such a hard worker.”
Myers served as varsity head coach from 1999-2004. Before that, he headed up a successful junior high program.
Myers guided the Mustangs to an 11-1 record in 1999, when PA captured just its second state championship. His team the next season lost in the state finals.
The Mustangs qualified for the playoffs four times in his six-year tenure, including three North AAA titles, and posted a 43-23 record during his time as the head man.
“Riley Myers was the kind of coach who made such a positive impact on so many of us,” said Scott Goldberg, a senior on the 1999 team, who now lives in Birmingham, Alabama. “He taught us football, but more importantly, life lessons we still use.”
After leaving Pillow, the former standout wide receiver for Ole Miss from 1968-71, moved back to Oxford before winding up in Magee.
At Ole Miss, he had 74 catches for 898 yards and nine touchdowns in his career. He played his last two seasons along side quarterback Archie Manning. As a senior, Myers finished with 29 catches (fifth best in the SEC that season) and 439 yards. He was ranked fourth in the league in yards per reception (15.1).
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
