Former Auburn Coach, Bear Bryant Assistant Dead at 80

Before Pat Dye became head coach at Auburn, he was a two-way starter, team captain with Fran Tarkenton, two-time All-American and All-SEC... at Georgia.

Later on, he got his first coaching gig as an assistant at Alabama under the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant where he served for 9 years (1965–1973).

In 1974, he took the head coaching job at East Carolina where he posted a 48–18–1 record from 1974–1979.

After a single 6-5 season coaching Wyoming, he returned to the Yellowhammer State to head up the rival of his alma mater and another rival of the school where he got his coaching break.

At Auburn, Dye went 99–39–4 and 48–27–3 in the SEC and led the Tigers to nine straight bowl games (6-2-1) from 1982-1990. He won the SEC four times in 12 seasons and was 6-6 against the Tide. Dye also acted as athletic director from 1981-1991. After two 5-win seasons in 1991 and 1992, he was forced out.

Bryant got the better of his pupil in 1981 by the score of 28-17, but fortunes were reversed the following season with Auburn winning 23-22 in Bear’s final season. The win snapped the Tigers’ nine game losing streak to the Crimson Tide.

Humorously, a few years ago someone found a pair of pants that Dye had lost several years earlier at the bottom of a dried up lake. The pockets contained his wallet with credit cards and keys to his car. He claimed ignorance but one can only imagine...

Dye succumbed to kidney failure due to long-standing issues on June 1, 2020.