Sport(s) Football 1962-1963 SA Central HS (DC) Positions Center 1960-1961 Ballinger HS (Asst.) Role Coach | 1959 Eastland HS (Asst.) Name Spike Dykes 1956-1958 Stephen F. Austin 1964-1965 Coahoma HS Children Sonny Dykes | |
 | ||
Born March 14, 1938 (age 86)
Lubbock, Texas ( 1938-03-14 ) Education Stephen F. Austin State University Grandchildren Alta Carolina Dykes, Charlotte Reese Dykes People also search for Sonny Dykes, Sharon Dykes, Alta Carolina Dykes, Charlotte Reese Dykes, Kate Golding | ||
Throwback kingsbury on spike dykes show in 1999
William Taylor "Spike" Dykes (March 14, 1938 – April 10, 2017) was an American football coach. A high school and college football coach throughout his career, he last served as head coach at Texas Tech from 1986 to 1999.
Contents
- Throwback kingsbury on spike dykes show in 1999
- Former UT football coach shares favorite memories of Coach Spike Dykes
- Early years
- Texas Tech
- Post coaching life
- Family
- References
Former UT football coach shares favorite memories of Coach Spike Dykes
Early years
Born in Lubbock, Texas and raised in Ballinger, William Taylor "Spike" Dykes graduated from Ballinger High School in 1955 and Stephen F. Austin State University in 1959. At Stephen F. Austin, Dykes played center on the Lumberjacks football team. Upon graduation, he served in several high school head and assistant coaching positions, including a stint as defensive coordinator under Emory Bellard at San Angelo Central High School in San Angelo, Texas. In 1972, Dykes became an assistant coach at the University of Texas. He filled assistant roles at two other universities before returning to the high school level to coach at Midland Lee from 1980 to 1983.
Texas Tech
Dykes moved to Texas Tech in 1984, serving as defensive coordinator under Jerry Moore and David McWilliams. When McWilliams left for Texas after the 1986 season, Dykes was named his successor. He was the first coach in school history to lead the team to seven straight bowl-eligible seasons and to coach the team in seven bowl games.
Dykes was the school's first coach to defeat the Texas Longhorns in six different seasons. He earned three Southwest Conference and one Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year honors. His record at Tech stands at 82–67–1. On November 20, 1999, Dykes retired after 13 seasons as head coach. His 82 wins were the most in school history until his successor, Mike Leach, passed him in 2009.
Post-coaching life
Dykes moved to Horseshoe Bay, Texas after retiring from coaching and also bought a house at Matagorda Bay.
On March 11, 2008, Dykes was inducted in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Family
One of Dykes' two sons—Daniel, aka Sonny Dykes—is also a college football coach. The younger Dykes was hired to be the head coach of the California Golden Bears on December 5, 2012. He spent the previous 3 seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech, guiding the Bulldogs to a 22-15 record over that span.
Dykes' other son, Rick, spent many years as an assistant football coach at Texas Tech, including a stint as Offensive Coordinator. Rick is a business owner in Lubbock.
Dykes also had a daughter, Bebe.
Dykes died on April 10, 2017, in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, at age 79.