Spike Dykes

William Taylor "Spike" Dykes (March 14, 1938 – April 10, 2017)[2] 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.

Spike Dykes
Biographical details
Born(1938-03-14)March 14, 1938
Lubbock, Texas
DiedApril 10, 2017(2017-04-10) (aged 79)
Horseshoe Bay, Texas
Playing career
1956–1958Stephen F. Austin
Position(s)Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1959Eastland HS (TX) (assistant)
1960–1961Ballinger HS (TX) (assistant)
1962–1963SA Central HS (TX) (DC)
1964–1965Coahoma HS (TX)
1966Belton HS (TX)
1967–1969Big Spring HS (TX)
1970–1971Alice HS (TX)
1972–1976Texas (assistant)
1977–1978New Mexico (assistant)
1979Mississippi State (assistant)
1980–1983Midland Lee HS (TX)
1984–1986Texas Tech (DC)
1986–1999Texas Tech
Head coaching record
Overall82–67–1 (college)
Bowls2–5
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Southwest Conference Coach of the Year (1989, 1993, 1994)[1]
Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year (1996)[1]

Coaching career

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.[3] 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.[1] His record at Tech stands at 82–67–1. On November 20, 1999, Dykes retired after 13 seasons as head coach.[4] 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 on Matagorda Bay.[5]

On March 11, 2008, Dykes was inducted in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.[6]

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Southwest Conference) (1986–1995)
1986 Texas Tech 0–1*0–0L Independence
1987 Texas Tech 6–4–13–3–14th
1988 Texas Tech 5–64–34th
1989 Texas Tech 9–35–34thW All-American1619
1990 Texas Tech 4–73–5T–5th
1991 Texas Tech 6–55–3T–2nd
1992 Texas Tech 5–64–3T–2nd
1993 Texas Tech 6–65–22ndL John Hancock
1994 Texas Tech 6–64–3T–2ndL Cotton
1995 Texas Tech 9–35-2T–2ndW Copper2023
Texas Tech: 54–47–138–27–1*Dykes coached bowl game after McWilliams left for Texas.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Big 12 Conference) (1996–1999)
1996 Texas Tech 7–55–32ndL Alamo
1997 Texas Tech 6–55–3T–2nd
1998 Texas Tech 7–54–43rdL Independence
1999 Texas Tech 6–55–3T–2nd
Texas Tech: 28–2019–13
Total:82–67–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Family

One of Dykes' two sons—Daniel, aka Sonny—is also a college football coach, currently at SMU. The younger Dykes was hired to be the head coach of the California Golden Bears on December 5, 2012. On January 8, 2017, California fired Dykes. 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 partner of the Reagor Dykes Auto Group currently being sued by Ford Motor Co. in what is being reported as possibly the biggest case of auto fraud in the US. Dykes also had a daughter, Bebe.

Dykes died on April 10, 2017, in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, at age 79.

Bibliography

  • Bobo, Mike; Dykes, Spike (1998), Principles of Coaching Football, Allyn and Bacon, ISBN 0205262538
  • Dykes, Spike; Bolling, Dave (2004), Spike Dykes's Tales from the Texas Tech Sideline, Sports Publishing LLC, ISBN 158261265X

References

  1. "Texas Tech 2010–11 Athletics Record Book". Texas Tech University. p. 10. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  2. Williams, Don, "Former Tech coach Spike Dykes dies at 79," Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Lubbock, TX, accessed on April 10, 2017 at 12:10 pm CDST.
  3. Lee, Mike (October 18, 2009). "Spike Dykes: Coaching Icon". LoneStarPreps. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  4. "Dykes Announces Retirement". Texas Tech. November 20, 1999. Archived from the original on February 4, 2000. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  5. Leschper, Lee (September 19, 2002). "Spike likes retirement". Amarillo Globe-News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2004. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  6. Williams, Don (March 12, 2008). "Texas Sports Hall of Fame adds ex-Tech coach Dykes". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
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