Former Texas A&M, TCU, Alabama football coach Dennis Franchione dead at 75

Texas A&M head coach Dennis Franchione watches during a college football game against Kansas, in this Oct. 27, 2007 file photo, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Paul Zoeller) (Paul Zoeller/AP) Former Texas A&M, TCU and Alabama coach Dennis Franchione died Tuesday at 75 years old after a lengthy battle with cancer.

>Franchione first was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, but beat that, only for it to return in 2021. Franchione was in full remission only for it to return again this year, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which was first to report the news of his death.

>Franchione spent five seasons as Texas A&M's head coach, leaving Alabama after just two seasons to take over for the legendary R.C. Slocum following the 2002 season.

>He took the Aggies to three bowl games in his five seasons in College Station, but no Top 25 finishes and resigned after beating rival Texas in 2007. Franchione finished out his coaching career with five years at Texas State before retiring in 2015.

>Franchione's most successful stop might have been TCU, a job he landed after successful runs at Pittsburg State, Southwest Texas State and New Mexico. He took over a TCU program that had gone 1-10 in 1997 and led them to three straight bowl games, including an electrifying 10-1 season with LaDainian Tomlinson running the ball for the Horned Frogs in 2000, which landed Franchione the Alabama job.

>The man known as "Coach Fran" went 7-5 and 10-3 at Alabama, which had been hit with NCAA violations from before Franchione arrived, and then left for Texas A&M.

SubscribeThere’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Former Texas A&M, TCU, Alabama football coach Dennis Franchione dead at 75.