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Coach Dye has passed away


PigskinPat

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That’s like loosing a family member. At Auburn we’re all family though. Tough loss for the Auburn nation and God speed coach!

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This man was Auburn to me for so many years of my life.

RIP Coach Dye and thanks for everything you did for our school. They can't name enough fields after you. 

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5 minutes ago, JBiGGiE said:

I am now 100% done with 2020.

Yep. 2020 officially sucks now.

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Those Auburn teams of the 80s laid the foundation for the championship caliber program we expect today.  Thank you coach Dye for what you did for the Auburn family.  

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https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Hall-of-Fame-Auburn-football-coach-Pat-Dye-dead-at-age-80-147733365

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Hall of Fame Auburn football coach Pat Dye dead at age 80

9773956.jpg?fit=bounds&crop=620:320,offs Pat Dye is shown on his farm earlier this year in Macon County. (Photo: Jason Caldwell, Inside the Auburn Tigers, 247Sports)

AUBURN, Alabama—Pat Dye, who was head coach of the Auburn football team from the 1981 season through the 1992 season, died on Monday at the age of 80. Dye has been hospitalized in recent weeks for complications regarding his kidney functions. The coach had also tested positive for Covid-19.

Dye, who was moved to Bethany House in Auburn following a stay at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, listened to phone calls on Monday morning from family, friends and former players on Monday morning.

Dye led Auburn to Southeastern Conference championships in 1983, 1987, 1988 and 1989. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame for his coaching successes at East Carolina University, the University of Wyoming and Auburn, Dye was an All-American player at the University of Georgia.

"Coach Dye was a great man and he did so much for Auburn and Auburn football," said Benji Roland, one of the All-Americans who played for Dye at Auburn. "He will be missed."

Among Auburn fans he won major respect for rebuilding a floundering football program, upgrading facilities and being the driving force for moving Auburn’s home games vs. Alabama out of Legion Field in Birmingham to Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium beginning in 1989.

In his role as athletic director at Auburn the coach inherited an overall athletic program that was struggling financially and helped make major improvements in that area.

His Auburn record was 99-39-4, which tied him with Mike Donahue for the second most wins by an Auburn football coach behind Shug Jordan’s total of 176 from 1951-1975.

Dye’s first head coaching position was in 1974 when he led the East Carolina Pirates to a 7-4 record. In six seasons with that program he produced a record of 48-18-1. He spent one season as head coach at Wyoming in 1980 where his team finished 6-5 prior to Dye making the move to Auburn.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at Alabama from 1965-73 where he was in charge of the linebackers and was the staff recruiting coordinator. While on that job four of his players earned All-American honors.

As a player Dye was an All-State and prep All-American at Richmond Academy in Augusta, Ga., where he graduated in 1957 and was captain of a state championship football team. He also threw the shot put, discus and javelin for a state championship track and field team.

He earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 1957 and made the league’s All-Sophomore team the following year. He earned all-conference and All-American honors as a junior and senior. Dye was a two-time Academic All-American and was named the SEC’s Most Valuable Lineman in 1960.

After playing at Georgia he competed in the Blue-Gray Classic, the Senior Bowl and the Coaches All-American Game.

After graduating from Georgia he served in the Army for two and a half years and was discharged as a first lieutenant. He played football while in the Army and in 1964 was voted Player of the Year for all of the armed services teams and won the Timmy Award from the Washington, D.C. Touchdown Club.

Dye also played two seasons as an outside linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimoes of the Canadian Football League.

43COMMENTS

While at Auburn he recruited and coached the university’s second Heisman Trophy winner, running back Bo Jackson, who won the award in 1985.

Dye also recruited and coached Tracy Rocker, the first player in SEC history to win the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award in the same year (1988). Seventeen players earned All-American honors during Dye’s 12 seasons coaching the Tigers.

 

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When he replied "60 minutes" in his first press conference he gave Auburn fans hope. Thanks Coach Dye. War Eagle!

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I trust heard. My heart is broken. I truly loved coach Dye. He brought Auburn football back from the dead. If it wasn't for coach Dye, Auburn Football would not be what it is today. Thank coach. We love you. R.I.P. coach Dye.

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Prayers for the family...and for all of the Auburn Family, too. Son Brett was one year behind me...daughter Missy, a few years older. One little guy who was...very unique...used to bounce into our biology class saying, "I wanna see Coach Pat Dye's son. Lemme see Coach Pat Dye's son." (He also put the smelly ferrets down his shirt...that kind of unique...) Suffice it to say that for that young man and countless, Coach Dye was too legendary to be confined to just one person. The extent at which he made his mark is immeasurable. War Eagle, and thank you, Coach Pat Dye. ❤🦋🦅

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This one hurts. Prayers to the Dye family. We wouldn't be what we are without him. Whatever this season ends up looking like, we better give it all we got for Coach Dye. 

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I have so many memories of Coach Dye.  I was blessed to be able to spend time with him in meetings, events, and at his home.  He was always the most considerate man, always asked about my family.  Still trying to sort out my memories and come to grips with his passing.   He will be missed.  Keeping his family in my prayers.

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4 minutes ago, LKEEL75 said:

Thank you for sharing this...reading it is like reliving history.

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Very sad to hear.  Although, when I read earlier that he had been hospitalized for kidney problems AND tested positive for Covid ... I couldn't help but think that the end could be near.  Prayers for his family & the AU family.  He won't be forgotten.  War Eagle, Coach & you were totally right about how long it takes to beat uat -- 60 minutes and not 1 second more(!)   

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Though I knew he wouldn't do it, I really wanted.Auburn to allow coach Dye to coach 1 more game like against a Samford or Alabama A&M or Chattanooga so he could record his 100th AU win.

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During the 1980s, coach Dye not only turned great teams, but he also turned out so many ALL SEC and ALL AMERICANS and a HEISMAN TROPHY winner. BO JACKSON.

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