Who is Sonny Dykes' dad? More about former decorated coach William "Spike" Dykes, father of the Horned Frogs HC

Sonny Dykes comes from a rich football heritage, with the TCU Horned Frogs head coach exposed to football from a very young age. Sonny is the son of former college football coach William "Spike" Dykes, one of the most decorated and long-tenured head coaches of his time.

Spike Dykes was as solid as they came, with the Lubbock, Texas native never backing down from a fight so far as it favored his team and the boys. Spike had a decent college football career, playing center for Stephen F. Austin. There, Spike got the coaching bug and he snagged an assistant head coaching job at Eastland High School, Texas.

His stay at Eastland High School lasted only a short time, and the next year, he accepted a job as an assistant at Ballinger High School, also in Texas. His time at Ballinger was decent, with him learning several high school football offensive and defensive schemes. The following year, he accepted a defensive coordinator position at SA Central High School, Texas.

It is important to note that his job at SA Central High School marked his last assistant or coordinator job for over a decade, as subsequent hires were for the position of Head Coach.

As such, in 1965, Spike Dyke accepted a contract to become the head coach of Coahoma High School, Texas, the first HC gig of his young coaching career. He also served in similar roles for programs like Belton High School, Big Spring High School, and Alice High and School (All in Texas).

Following his time with Alice High School in 1971, Dyke earned the biggest move of his career as he was appointed the assistant head coach of the Texas Longhorns. He occupied the role for four years before moving to New Mexico and the University of Mississippi.

Spike Dykes never backed away from a challenge, and he last coached Texas Tech for thirteen years (1986–1999) before calling it a career. His time with Texas Tech was the highlight of his career as all the hard work he put in paid off.

As the Head Coach of Texas Tech, Dyke was a three-time SWC Coach of the Year awardee and snagged the Big 12 Coach of the Year award in 1996. On the team front, he won the SWC championship in 1994. So you can only imagine how big his shoes were to fill, and this must be source of pride for Sonny Dykes. The pressure is unreal, especially in Texas.

Sadly, Spike Dykes died on April 10, 2017 at the age of 79.

The relationship between Spike Dykes and Sonny Dykes

Before his passing, Spike had a great relationship with Sonny Dykes, who followed in his coaching footsteps. Sonny might not have the extensive Texas-based coaching record of his father, but he's well on his way.

At the moment, Sonny Dykes is the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs, one of the best teams in the entire country. The younger Dykes has been getting some attention lately from the NFL, and you shouldn't be surprised if this is the last year he spends with the Horned Frogs.

How are the TCU Horned Frogs performing this season?

The TCU Horned Frogs are having a solid season under Sonny Dykes, with the side getting better and better with each passing game. Dykes has led the Big 12 team to an 11-1 record to open the season.

Their next game is a potentially dicey Fiesta Bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines. Sonny Dykes will be up against Jim Harbaugh, one of the most decorated coaches in recent NFL history. May the best side win.