Former Virginia Tech football coach Charlie Coffey dies

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Charlie Coffey, who brought a potent passing attack to Virginia Tech during three seasons as the Hokies' head coach in the early 1970s, has died at age 81.

The school says Coffey died at home in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on Monday night. The University of Tennessee, where Coffey was a three-year letterman and later an assistant coach, says Coffey died after a long battle with cancer.

In three years guiding the Hokies, Coffey led them to a 12-20-1 record, including a 6-4-1 record in 1972. That team was led by quarterback Don Strock, who led the nation in passing and set several school passing records that still stand.

Mike Burnop, a tight end on those teams and current Virginia Tech network analyst, says Coffey also was a marketing innovator, bringing checkerboard end zone paint jobs and orange jerseys to the Hokies.