Central Georgia Sports ReportJune 02, 2020Comment

Monday's Daily News 'n Notes: Auburn legend Dye passes away; a signing; Georgia College's baseball move: Sports and George Floyd, and COVID-19

Central Georgia Sports ReportJune 02, 2020Comment

Monday’s Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.

College football legend Pat Dye was 80

The man who all but turned Alabama-Auburn into the huge battle known as the Iron Bowl died Monday.

Pat Dye was 80, and died in hospice care Atlanta where he was being treated for kidney and liver failure. He had recently been diagnosed with the coronavirus, but was asymptomatic, he son said.

The native of Blythe, Ga., and Richmond Academy grad earned All-America honors twice at Georgia, where he was eventually added to the Circle of Honor.

His coaching career started at Alabama, and he was head coach at East Carolina and Wyoming before taking over at Auburn.

Dye was 99-39-4 in 12 seasons at Auburn, with at least a share of four SEC champions, and four 10-win seasons plus six bowl games. The 2005 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame and three-time SEC coach of the year has the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium named after him.

Dye stood up to Alabama and Bear Bryant, and got the annual game moved from Birmingham to a home-and-home series.

Dye was also Auburn’s AD for a decade, but lost that job in 1991 and his coaching position a year later.

His career record is 153-62-5.

‘Our Bear Bryant’

Dooley remembers Dye

Lifted Auburn to Bama’s level

Dye was SEC tough

‘What Auburn is about’

Around/About Central Georgia

George College names an interim baseball coach

Kane Keith has been promoted to interim head baseball coach at Georgia College.

He has been with the Bobcats for three seasons, mostly working with pitchers.

Keith is an alum, twice earning Peach Belt scholar-athlete honors. He went 5-0 with a 4.50 ERA as a senior. Georgia College has won two conference regular-season titles and the conference tournament twice in the five years Keith has worn a Georgia College uniform.

Signings

Warner Robins’ Manny Thompson is the latest from Houston County to sign to play football with Fort Valley State. The versatile offensive lineman and two-time first-team All-Central Georgia pick has been a major participant in the Demons going to three straight GHSA Class 5A state title games.