Former Mississippi State Football Coach Bob Tyler Has Passed Away

MSU mourns the loss of a coaching legend.

Nov 11, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs helmet on the sideline during / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Bob Tyler passed away on April 28th, 2024, at the age of 91. Tyler is a Water Valley, Mississippi native, and is where he started his coaching career in 1957  

Over the next 11 years, he coached at various high schools throughout Mississippi. During his high school coaching career, he put together a 91-19-6 record. 

Tyler moved to the college ranks after over a decade of coaching, and he was an assistant coach for Alabama and Ole Miss. Tyler worked under legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama. 

He was hired as the offensive coordinator at MSU in 1972. The following year, Tyler was named the head coach for the Bulldogs. 

Tyler produced four winning seasons during his time in Starkville, including a pair of nine-win seasons. He also served as the athletic director, along with his head coaching duties from 1976 to 1979. 

In 2020, he was inducted into the Mississippi State Athletics Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.