Former Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes dies at 79

Former Texas Tech football coach Spike Dykes died at age 79, the school confirmed Monday.

Dykes coached the Red Raiders from 1986 to 1999.

"Sad to hear the news on Spike Dykes," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said via Twitter. "Great coach, mentor, and person. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family (and) the Tech community."

Texas Tech played in seven bowl games in Dykes' 13 years in Lubbock. His sons, Sonny and Rick, also became coaches. Sonny is an offensive assistant at TCU and spent the previous four seasons as head coach at Cal.

"Words cannot describe what coach Dykes meant to to west Texas, Texas Tech University, this program and me personally," Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said in a statement released by the university.

Spike Dykes was named coach of the year three times in the Southwest Conference and in the Big 12's inaugural season in 1996.

"A lot of people in this world don't have any fun, but I've had a ball," Spikes said in 1999.