Former Michigan State head coach and mentor of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, George Perles passed away in East Lansing Mich., Tuesday night. He was 85 years old. Perles had deep roots at Michigan State where he was a player, coach, athletic director and a member of the board of trustees at the university throughout his storied life.
He had also been battling Parkinson’s disease over the past two years.
Below is Saban’s full statement on the death of Perles:
“George Perles meant a tremendous amount to not only me, but the entire Saban family. He was one of my mentors in this profession, and he gave me my first opportunity to be in a position of leadership as the defensive coordinator at Michigan State.