Dennis Franchione, the longtime college football coach who climbed from NAIA Southwestern to Alabama over a 30-year run as a head coach, has died at 75, TCU confirmed on social media Tuesday.
Franchione built a career that left him with more than 200 wins and eight conference championships, plus eight bowl appearances at the FBS level. His coaching stops included New Mexico, TCU, Alabama, Texas A&M and multiple stretches at Texas State, making him one of the most recognizable figures in the sport across the 21st Century.
The Kansas native made his name first at the lower levels, where he won five straight conference titles at Pittsburg State. That success earned him the TCU job in 1998, and he wasted little time reshaping the program. With LaDainian Tomlinson running the ball and Gary Patterson coordinating the defense, the Horned Frogs went from 1-11 to three straight winning seasons.
From there, Franchione moved to Alabama, a program in a rough stretch. He delivered quickly, leading the Crimson Tide to a 10-win season and an Independence Bowl victory. Alabama reportedly offered him a 10-year contract to remain, but Franchione made the move that shocked college football by leaving for Texas A&M as NCAA sanctions loomed over Alabama for violations under former coach Mike DuBose.
His time in College Station never found its footing. The low point came in a 77-0 loss to Oklahoma in 2003, a historic blowout that underscored how far the Aggies still had to go.
As Texas kept contending for national titles, Franchione struggled to change the course of the program. The pressure only grew after it was revealed that he was privately selling a newsletter to top donors that included inside information about the team.
He was fired after the 2007 season.
Franchione returned to Texas State in 2011 for a second stint, this time helping guide the program through its move to the FBS level. In 2014, he finished 7-5, though the Bobcats were not chosen for a bowl game.
According to the Star-Telegram, Franchione was diagnosed with cancer a decade ago. The cancer returned this year, and he was moved to hospice care in Austin.
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