RALEIGH, N.C. — Chuck Amato, the former N.C. State football coach who led the Wolfpack in Raleigh to its winningest season and a string of bowl games, died Monday morning at age 80.
Amato ran the program for seven seasons, from 2000 through 2006, and finished 49-37. Only Dave Doeren, Earle Edwards and Dick Sheridan have won more games as head coach of the Wolfpack.
His high-water mark came in 2002. That team went 11-3, beat its opponent in the Gator Bowl and closed the year ranked No. 12, and it is still the only N.C. State team to reach double-digit wins. Amato took the Pack to five bowls overall and won four of them.
Quarterback Philip Rivers started for four of those seasons, and his roster also included defensive end Mario Williams, the top pick in the 2006 NFL draft and the only Wolfpack player ever taken first overall.
Before he returned to lead the program, Amato spent years as an assistant, including two stretches at N.C. State and a long run at Florida State as Bobby Bowden’s top assistant, serving as assistant head coach when the Seminoles won national titles in 1993 and 1999. He later worked at Akron and retired in 2018.
Amato was a two-sport athlete in his playing days in Raleigh. He lettered in football and wrestling, captained the defense in 1967 and won ACC wrestling titles in 1966 and 1968. He had fought throat cancer in recent years.
Gov. Josh Stein and Duke coach Manny Diaz, who worked under Amato at N.C. State, were among those who paid tribute on Monday. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is another branch of his coaching tree.
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