From 1987 to 1990, Archer was the head football coach at Louisiana State University, where he compiled a record of 27–18–1.
Archer was chosen over a number of interviewed candidates, which reportedly included Steve Spurrier, Mike Shanahan, and Mack Brown.
Archer was replaced by Curley Hallman, previously the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Archer jumped to the NFL in 1996, where he served as linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers for seven years.
[3] Archer resigned from his position at Kentucky on January 10, 2007, to accept the same job at NC State, where he was reunited with Tom O'Brien.
In 2019, Archer joined former Argonauts head coach Marc Trestman at the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL.