Graduated from Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1978.[1] Passed for 2,800 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2 years at CHHS. Voted conference player of the year in 1977[2] and was a 1977 Shrine Bowl Participant[3]

Dickey was the starting quarterback at Kansas State for four seasons from 1979 to 1982. In 1979, he established the school record for passing yards by a freshman with 915,[4] a record that stood until 2005 when Allan Evridge broke the record with 1,365 yards.

Dickey concluded his collegiate career in 1982 by leading the Wildcats to the school's first bowl appearance in its 87-year history, the 1982 Independence Bowl. He left Kansas State ranked second all-time in pass completions, yards passing, touchdown passes, and total offense.

Dickey remains only player in Kansas State history to lead the school in passing yards and total offense for four consecutive seasons.

He signed free agent contracts in 1983 and 1984 with the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints respectively.

Texas A&M, 1985

Dickey served as the offensive graduate assistant under Jackie Sherrill at Texas A&M in 1985, where he was part of a staff that led the Aggies to their first Southwest Conference title since 1975. The defensive graduate assistant on Sherrill's 1985 coaching staff was Charlie Strong, who later served at head coach of Louisville, South Florida, and rival Texas.[5]

To cap their Southwest Conference title, the Aggies defeated rival Texas, 42-14. Quarterbacking for Texas that day was Todd Dodge, who 21 years later would replace Dickey at North Texas.[6]

As offensive graduate assistant, Dickey helped Aggie quarterback Kevin Murray, father of Kyler Murray, develop into the SWC Offensive Player of the Year. The Aggies defeated Auburn, which boasted Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson in the Cotton Bowl to finish the season 10-2.[7]

Memphis, 1986-88

In 1986, Dickey was hired by Charlie Bailey at Memphis to served as tight ends coach. The Tigers won only one game, finishing the season 1-10. Dickey pupil Keith Jeffries led the Tigers in touchdowns receptions for the season.

In 1987, Dickey was moved to running backs coach. The Tigers improved to 5-5-1, with wins over SEC schools Ole Miss and Alabama, which was ranked #15 in the country at the time. During the game, Dickey pupil Wayne Pryor outrushed Crimson Tide Heisman Trophy candidate and future Denver Broncos star Bobby Humphrey. Pryor ran for 112 yards to Humphrey's 84, and was named AP Player of the Week for his effort.[8]

In a nod to future Dickey pupils, Pryor excelled not only as a runner, but as a receiver. He led the Tigers in rushing and rushing touchdowns, while finishing second on the team in receptions and leading the team in touchdown receptions and overall touchdowns.[9]

In 1988, Dickey was moved to quarterbacks coach. The Tigers improved to 6-5, with wins over SEC foes Mississippi State, Florida, and Vanderbilt.

The 1988 win against Florida at The Swamp was notable in many ways for Dickey. First, Florida entered the game undefeated and ranked #14 in the country.[10] Heisman Trophy candidate Emmitt Smith led the Gator squad.[11] Florida's offensive coordinator was Lynn Amedee, who had been Texas A&M's offensive coordinator when Dickey was an offensive graduate assistant there. Gator head coach Galen Hall had been an assistant at Oklahoma, coaching alongside Dickey's dad there.

And, finally, it was a memorable win because Dickey's dad, Jim, was Florida's defensive coordinator at the time. In the battle of offensive coordinator son versus defensive coordinator dad, Darrell and Memphis emerged victorious. [12]

In early 1989, Memphis' football program became embroiled in a scandal when it was revealed that a player had been paid by a booster for a summer job. The then-scandal led to the resignation of head coach Charlie Bailey.[13] Bailey was replaced by Chuck Stobart, who was then offensive coordinator at Southern Cal. Stobart had previously been head coach at Toledo and Utah.

Although Dickey was given offensive coordinator duties in addition to quarterback coaching duties, Stobart had been offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Southern Cal, where he had coached future NFL signal-caller, Rodney Peete.[14] The Tigers took a step backward, going 2-9, including a loss to then I-AA Arkansas State. After the season, it was revealed that there had been discord among the coaching staff with Stobart, and he fired Dickey and five other coaches as a result.[15]

Mississippi State, 1990

Mississippi State coach Rockey Felker hired Dickey to coach quarterbacks and running backs at Mississippi State in 1990. Mississippi State and Memphis had played each year Dickey was an assistant there.

The Bulldogs had an up and down year, finishing 5-6, but beating LSU, 34–22, to end a five-season losing streak to the Tigers. Dickey pupil Tay Galloway ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.

Bulldog quarterback Tony Shell was 4th in the SEC in pass completions and passing yards. Running backs Tay Galloway and Kenny Roberts each ran for over 500 yards, with Roberts finishing 5th in the SEC in yards per carry with 5.6.[16]

On November 10, 1990, Mississippi State traveled to Memphis, where Dickey faced the coach, Chuck Stobart, who had fired him less than a year prior. The Bulldogs won, 27-23.[17]

However, the 1990 season was Mississippi States fourth consecutive losing season, and Rockey Felker resigned after the final game, a 21-9 loss in the Egg Bowl to rival Ole Miss. Incoming coach Jackie Sherrill, who had given Dickey his collegiate coaching start in 1985, did not retain any of Felker's staff.[18]

In 1991 Dickey became tight ends coach at Louisiana State, where he served until 1993. The 1993 LSU squad upset #1 ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He then rejoined Charlie Bailey as offensive coordinator at UTEP in 1994 and stayed with the Miners through the 1996 season.

In 1997, he served as offensive coordinator at SMU under Mike Cavan. The 1997 Ponies posted their first winning season since the return from their NCAA-imposed "Death Penalty." The season included a 31–9 victory over former Southwest Conference foe Arkansas in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dickey was hired to be the head coach at the University of North Texas following the 1997 season.

Following his stint at North Texas, Dickey became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Utah State for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He was the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at New Mexico for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

In 2011, he joined Dennis Franchione at Texas State as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach.

In 2012, Dickey was hired to be Offensive Coordinator and running backs couch at the University of Memphis. Shortly after his arrival, then head coach Justin Fuente sent him to Deltona, Florida to recruit an unheralded, lighty recruited prep quarterback named Paxton Lynch. Dickey had long ago earned a reputation for finding diamonds in the rough as a recruiter,[19][20][21] and he reported back to Fuente that Memphis should sign Lynch.[22][23] In 2016, Lynch was the 26th pick in the First Round of the NFL Draft.[24]

In November 2015, Dickey was named interim head coach of the Memphis Tiger after head coach Justin Fuente was hired by Virginia Tech. Dickey coached the Tigers against the Auburn Tigers in the Birmingham Bowl on December 30, 2015. Auburn won the game 31-10, pulling away in the second half after ending the first half tied 10-10.

In January 2017, Dickey was elevated to offensive coordinator by Memphis head coach Mike Norvell.[25]

Dickey was hired by new Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher to be the Aggies' Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach. The hiring paid immediate dividends, as the Aggies' 2018 offense finished ranked 20th in nation, up from 57th in 2017. [26] Running back Trayveon Williams led the SEC in rushing and rushing touchdowns,[27] while Quarterback Kellen Mond ranked fifth in the SEC with 24 touchdown passes. [28]