Mike Dubose
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Mike DuBose (born January 5, 1953, in Opp, Alabama) is a college football head coach.
Playing career
DuBose played for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide under Bear Bryant from 1972 to 1974. In 1972, DuBose was severely injured and lost a testicle as the result of an injury sustained in a game with the University of Tennessee Volunteers. He considered quitting football, but continued playing at the encouragement of Alabama head football coach Paul Bryant. DuBose played in the 1973 Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame and had an outstanding game. He won a championship ring as a member of the Crimson Tide that same year.Coaching career
DuBose coaching career began as a graduate assistant with the Crimson Tide in 1975.
High School Coaching Career
DuBose was an assistant coach in 1976 and 1977 at Fairhope High School in Alabama. In 1978 and 1979, he was the head coach as well as athletic director of Prattville High School in Prattville, Alabama.
College Coaching Career
DuBose began his collegiate coaching career as a defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1980. After two years at UTC, he was offered a job on the staff at Southern Mississippi University. DuBose wanted to reject the job offer in hopes of working for Bear Bryant at Alabama. But Bryant told DuBose to go for one year and he'd get a call for a new job the following year (see Ivan Maisel, "War In Dixie"). DuBose went to USM and was the defensive line coach. He was on the opposite sideline of the game that ended Alabama's then college record 57-game home unbeaten streak in November 1982. Two months later, Bryant died, and DuBose was invited to Alabama as a defensive line coach on the staff of new coach Ray Perkins. He coached the defensive line for four years and followed Perkins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three years, 1987-1989. He returned to Alabama as defensive line coach from 1990 to 1996 under head coach Gene Stallings.
University of Alabama
After steering the football team through rough waters following its first ever NCAA probation, Gene Stallings announced his retirement as head coach at the conclusion of the Iron Bowl victory over Auburn on November 30, 1996. Stallings guided the Tide to an Outback Bowl victory over Michigan, and the search began for a successor. DuBose was hired partly from alumni pressure to hire a coach with connections to legendary coach Paul Bryant and a defensive specialist.
Disastrous Beginning
DuBose had a horrid beginning at Alabama. After winning the first two games of the 1997 season, the Crimson Tide imploded to its worst record since 1957, the year before Bryant arrived. They lost nine of the last eleven games including their first loss to Kentucky since 1922, a rout at the hands of Tennessee, and a shocking loss to Louisiana Tech. The stunner, though, was the loss to Auburn after the Tide had the game virtually in the bag with less than a minute to go. An inconceivably called pass play resulted in a fumble and Auburn recovery that led to the game-winning field goal for the Tigers. DuBose reacted by firing four coordinators including the ones who called the play, Bruce Arians and Woody McCorvey.
The following year, 1998, DuBose led the team to a 7-5 record and a berth in the inaugural Music City Bowl against Virginia Tech. The Tide lost with a lackluster performance, 38-7, and DuBose went back to the drawing board.
The Affair
In May 1999, rumor leaked out on the Internet that DuBose was accused of having an affair with Deborah Gibson, his secretary. DuBose flatly denied the charges, but three months later reached an out-of-court settlement that paid over $300,000 out of his own pocket, removed the final two years of his contract (leaving him without a job after the upcoming 1999 season), and gave the administration the chance to fire him at any time they desired.
After a 2-0 start, Lousiana Tech stunned Alabama again, scoring a touchdown on the last play from scrimmage to complete a shocking upset. Calls for DuBose's head reached a fevered pitch, and the administration responded by firing Athletic Director Bob Bockrath. Rumors persisted that DuBose would be fired in the off week of October 9, 1999, right after the Tide was expected to be routed by the Florida Gators. DuBose pulled the team together and beat Arkansas, then stunned Florida in a 40-39 overtime thriller that ended the Gators' five-year home winning streak and put Alabama back in the top ten. They went the rest of the regular season losing only to Tennessee, 21-7, and earned the right to meet Florida again for the SEC Championship.
SEC Champions
On December 4, 1999, Alabama and Florida played a rematch at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Florida was expected to return the favor of Alabama's October win. The Gators scored in five plays to start the game but never scored the rest of the night. The game was close, 15-7 Alabama, until the early fourth quarter when a broken play ran by Freddie Milons, a receiver lined up at quarterback, bolted for a 77-yard touchdown. Two plays later, defensive lineman Reggie Grimes tipped, intercepted, and scored a touchdown on a pass from Jesse Palmer. At this point, Alabama led, 28-7, and the game was as good as over. The final score was Alabama 34, Florida 7.
After the game DuBose's two years from the Gibson settlement were restored, and he focused on the upcoming Orange Bowl against Michigan. Michigan beat Alabama, 35-34, on a missed PAT in the first overtime. Alabama ended the year at number eight and began the next year at number three in the pre-season polls.
Fired Or Resigned
Alabama opened the 2000 season in Los Angeles against UCLA and lost in a stunning upset, 35-24. After a lackluster win against Vanderbilt, the Tide played a miserable game against Southern Miss and lost, 21-0. DuBose offered his resignation to Athletic Director Mal Moore after the game, but Moore refused it. After a controversial loss to Arkansas - where two disputed calls kept alive the Razorbacks' game-winning drive - the Tide rebounded to beat South Carolina and Ole Miss to raise its record to 3-3. As it turned out, the 45-7 thumping of Ole Miss was the last game DuBose would win. Things reached a nadir on October 28, 2000, when the Tide lost to underdog Central Florida at home, 41-39. On the Tuesday after the game, the announcement was made that DuBose would be gone at the end of the year. After a long coaching search that considered Butch Davis, Frank Beamer, Tommy Bowden, and others, Dennis Franchione was hired to replace DuBose.
Probation
Numerous violations of NCAA rules occurred under DuBose's regime. The most infamous was the allegation that an NCAA booster had paid $200,000 to get defensive blue chipper Albert Means to attend Alabama. After a long investigation, the NCAA put Alabama on five years' probation starting on February 1, 2002. The effects are still felt on the Crimson Tide program to this day.
Northview High School
After a brief respite from coaching, DuBose was hired as head coach of the Northview High School football program in Dothan, Alabama. During his only year there in 2002, DuBose led the Cougars to an 0-10 record.Luverne High School
After leaving Northview, DuBose was named head coach of the Luverne High School football program in Luverne, Alabama. During his two years at Luverne, 2003 and 2004, he led the Tigers to a 20-7 record.Millsaps College
DuBose was named the head coach at Millsaps College in 2006. He had been the defensive coordinator in 2005.|- style="text-align: center;" |- style="text-align: center;"
References
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