Former Texas Tech Head Football Coach Spike Dykes died, we have learned and confirmed through sources. He was 79 years old.
It was not immediately clear what led up to his death Monday morning.
Dykes was head coach from 1986 to 1999 and he was the team’s defensive coordinator for two years before that. Dykes had a coaching record of 82 wins, 67 losses, and one tie with Texas Tech.
He also wrote a book with Dave Boling called Tales from the Tech Tech Sideline. (We also found later version called Tales from the Texas Tech Red Raider Sideline.)
“A legend in every sense,” the Texas Tech Athletic Department said on Twitter. “#TexasTech mourns the loss of head coach Spike Dykes. #WreckEm”
The Athletic Department quoted current coach Kliff Kingsbury as saying, “Words cannot describe what Coach Dykes meant to West Texas, Texas Tech University, this program & me, personally.”
Texas Tech University System Chancellor Robert L. Duncan said, “He empowered and inspired Red Raiders on and off the field – the fierce, courageous, selfless Spike Dykes will never be forgotten.”
Texas Tech said, “Memorial services for Dykes will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Lubbock and then 2 p.m. Friday in Horseshoe Bay.”
The jumbotron at AT&T Jones Stadium displayed an image of Dykes and included the words “Thank you, Coach.”
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