Chuck Amato, a longtime defensive assistant under Bobby Bowden at Florida State who later served as head coach at his alma mater North Carolina State, died Monday. He was 80.
Amato passed away early Monday at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina, under hospice care after a recurrence of throat cancer, NC State announced. He had first been diagnosed with the disease in 2009.
Amato spent 21 seasons on the Florida State staff, joining Bowden in 1982 to coach the defensive line. He later served as assistant head coach while working with linebackers, remaining through the 1999 season before returning for three more years from 2007-09…