Chuck Amato, a longtime defensive assistant under Bobby Bowden at Florida State who later served as head coach at his alma mater North Carolina State, died Monday. He was 80.
Amato passed away early Monday at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, under hospice care after a recurrence of throat cancer, NC State announced. He had first been diagnosed with the disease in 2009.
Amato spent 21 seasons on the Florida State staff, joining Bowden in 1982 to coach the defensive line. He later served as assistant head coach while working with linebackers, remaining through the 1999 season before returning for three more years from 2007-09.
The Seminoles captured national championships in 1993 and 1999 with Amato on the sideline. During his tenure, the defense ranked among the nation’s most consistent units.
Amato helped develop standout defenders including linebackers Derrick Brooks and Marvin Jones, defensive end Peter Boulware and defensive tackle Corey Simon. Multiple players he coached went on to productive NFL careers.
Born June 26, 1946, in Easton, Pennsylvania, Amato lettered in football as a linebacker at NC State from 1965-67. The Wolfpack shared the ACC title in 1965. He also won two ACC wrestling championships.
Amato began coaching at the high school level in Pennsylvania before returning to NC State as a graduate assistant in 1971. He rose to defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in the 1970s, working under Lou Holtz and Bo Rein and coaching a young Bill Cowher.
After two seasons coaching linebackers at Arizona, Amato arrived in Tallahassee. He left following the Seminoles’ Sugar Bowl win over Virginia Tech that capped the 1999 title season.
Amato took over as head coach at NC State in 2000 and compiled a 49-37 record over seven seasons through 2006. His teams reached five bowl games and posted a 4-1 mark in those contests.
The high point came in 2002, when NC State finished 11-3 and ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll. Quarterback Philip Rivers earned All-America recognition that year, and the Wolfpack defeated Notre Dame 28-6 in the Gator Bowl.
Amato’s NC State teams defeated Florida State four times. In 2001, the Wolfpack became the first ACC team to beat the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Amato returned to Florida State in 2007 as executive associate head coach and linebackers coach during Bowden’s final three seasons. He was not retained when Jimbo Fisher became head coach after the 2009 campaign.
Amato later coached as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Akron from 2012-17 under Terry Bowden before retiring. His overall coaching career spanned nearly five decades.
Funeral arrangements had not been announced as of Monday evening.
