Spike Dykes is about as synonymous with Texas Tech, as football is with the state of Texas.
Even former Texas Tech quarterback Rodney Allison even called him Mr. Texas Tech. Allison said that one of Dykes’ greatest attributes was how he made people feel – it didn’t matter if they were the opposing football coach, or the janitor down the hallway – he made people feel respected. On Monday, the state of Texas lost a big piece of that West Texas spirit.
“Spike was a guy that those players that played for him, they loved Spike Dykes,” Allison said. “He had a great impact on these players and I’m not sure where they will have the funeral because I’m not sure this stadium is big enough to have this funeral.”
Even a former player of his spoke of his kind, good-hearted nature.
“Man, he was a good man. He was a good man, that’s what makes it hard.” former Texas Tech linebacker Ben Kirkpatrick said. “He was always asking, ‘you know, how is your Mom and Dad doing?’ He was just personal.”
“He cared about the kids, he cared about the alumni, he cared about the students, and he was just a good man,” former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Carlos Mainord said.
And all the while Dykes had a way of making all those he came across feel at home.
“Whether they were big donors, or ticket holders, or whether they were just fans that might not be able to attend the games and just listen to it on the radio,” former Texas Tech athletics director Gerald Myers said. “He treated them all the same.”
“I had a good friend tell me one time, the greatest compliment that you can give to someone is to call him a man,” former recruiting coordinator under Dykes, Tommy McVay said. “And there is nobody like him. Everything that I have done today is because of him and you can’t get around that. I loved the man.”
Click on the story above to hear from all of those who loved him.
