GREENVILLE (WNCT) – Current East Carolina football coach Mike Houston took time out on Tuesday to reflect on Pat Dye and his legacy at ECU and in all of college football.

Dye passed away on Monday at the age of 80. Dye coached six seasons at ECU where he was 48-18-1. He also led the Pirates to the 1978 Independence Bowl championship.

“His teams were hard-nosed,” said Houston. “I’ll never forget Coach Dye because that was the first college game that I ever saw in person. It was Auburn vs. Tennessee, and Coach Dye had Bo Jackson.”