One of the most cherished members of the Auburn family, former football coach Pat Dye, perished on Monday at the age of 80, according to multiple media reports.
Dye has been hospitalized due to problems with his kidneys in May and tested positive for COVID-19. The exact cause of his death on Monday has not yet been publicized.
The news of Dye’s death spread widely on social media late Monday morning after remarks made during the “On the Mark” radio program in the Auburn area. The first news outlet to publish a report was 247sports, which was quickly confirmed by additional reporting from WBRC.
Dye was Auburn’s head coach from 1981-92 and its athletics director from 1981-91.
In his 12 seasons as head coach at Auburn, Dye led the Tigers to a 99-39-4 record and won four Southeastern Conference championships (1983, ’87, ’88 and ’89). Under his tenure, Auburn won 10 or more games four times, finished in the top 10 nationally five times and won six bowl games.
Dye is known for being instrumental in bringing the Iron Bowl to Auburn for the first time in 1989, a game which the Tigers won, and is considered one of the most important events in the history of the program.
He was a three-time SEC coach of the year (1983, ’87 and ’89) and was national coach of the year in ’83.
The playing surface at Jordan-Hare Stadium was named Pat Dye Field in his honor on Nov. 19, 2005, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December 2005.
This story is breaking and may be updated.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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