Dennis Franchione

Dennis Franchione spent two seasons coaching the Alabama Crimson Tide and five more coaching the Texas A&M Aggies while the Aggies were still in the Big 12 conference. Franchione arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2001 after the Tide had gone 3-8 the season before and led Alabama to a 7-5 record and a victory in the Independence Bowl. Alabama improved to 10-3 in 2002 including a 6-2 record in SEC play, winning the SEC West division in the process. Unfortunately, NCAA sanctions forced the Tide to sit out postseason play that year, including the SEC championship game.

Franchione left for Texas A&M after the 2002 season due to the NCAA sanctions, informing his Alabama players via a video teleconference rather than in person. He led the Aggies to a 4-8 record in his first season at the helm in 2003, the program’s first losing record in 21 years. He resigned after topping then-No. 13 Texas 38-30 in November of 2007, making the announcement in his postgame press conference. In 2011 he was hired as the head coach of the Texas State football program.