Earle Bruce, who won 81 games while coaching the Ohio State Buckeyes for nine seasons, has died early Friday morning at the age of 87, his family announced.
"He was a great man, a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, and a respected coach to many," his four daughters said in a statement.
Bruce, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2017, coached the Buckeyes from 1979 to 1987. He succeeded legendary coach Woody Hayes and guided Ohio State to an 11-1 record in his first season, suffering only a loss in Rose Bowl.
He won two outright Big Ten titles and a share of it on two more occasions, and he had a 5-3 record in bowl games.