College Football Hall of Famer Pat Dye has died at the age of 80.
Dye passed away from complications of kidney and liver failure, according to Lee County coroner Bill Harris. Dye tested positive for the coronavirus as well, but his son said he had been asymptomatic, according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN.
Dye spent 12 years at Auburn, where he posted a 99-39-4 record as head coach. He also served as the school’s athletic director and helped elevate the Auburn brand nationally by bringing in players such as Bo Jackson.
One of Dye’s most notable contributions to Auburn was turning the Iron Bowl into a home-and-home series instead of playing it at a neutral site in Birmingham. The first Iron Bowl at Auburn was played in 1989, an upset win for the Tigers. Dye’s impact was such that the playing field at Jordan-Hare Stadium is named after him.
The three-time SEC Coach of the Year played college football at Georgia. He also had coaching stops at East Carolina and Wyoming during his career.
