Pat Dye Hospitalized with COVID-19
Former Auburn football coach Pat Dye has been hospitalized due to COVID-19 coronavirus. According to Toccoa First United Methodist Church, Dye has been hospitalized as a result of complications dealing with kidney disease combined with coronavirus. He coached at Auburn from 1981-1992 and served as athletic director during those years, he was inducted into the college football hall of fame in 2005 and the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium is named in his honor.
Dye is 80-years old, he played college football for the University of Georgia under Wally Butts, he earned first-team All-SEC and was a two-time All-American in his playing days.
After a short playing career, Dye was hired by Bear Bryant in 1965 to serve as a defensive assistant for the Crimson Tide until 1973.
He earned his first head coaching job at East Carolina in 1974 and notched a 48-18-1 record for the Pirates over a six-year span. He won a SOCON championship in 1976 and was inducted into the university's Hall of fame in 2006 due to his success.
He then coached one season at Wyoming and brought a struggling program its second winning season in 10 years. He left for Auburn the next season.
At Auburn he accumulated a 99-39-4 record over a 12-year period. He finished his career with the Tigers with the third most wins in program history. He won four SEC Titles in the 80s and became the fourth coach in SEC history to win three conference titles in a row. He also earned SEC Coach of the Year three times while at Auburn.His Iron Bowl record at Auburn was 6-6 and his Tigers enjoyed a 4-year streak between 1986-1989.
In 1983 Dye's Auburn Tigers finished with an 11-1 record and ended up ranked third in the final polls. He oversaw Bo Jackson win the second Heisman Trophy in Tigers history in 1985.
Coach Dye was responsible for moving the Iron Bowl out of Legion Field in Birmingham and onto Auburn's campus. Auburn's first home Iron Bowl game in 1989 resulted in a 30-20 Tiger's victory. He is also responsible for breaking a nine-year Alabama winning streak in the rivalry by winning the 1982 Iron Bowl 23-22
His career on The Plains ended in scandal as he was caught up in NCAA investigations and found responsible for rules violations. Dye stepped down as athletic director in 1991 and resigned as football coach the following year.
Keep Coach Dye and his family in your prayers as he deals with kidney disease and COVID-19.
Alabama Football Players in the Hall-of-Fame