Former NC State football coach, longtime Florida State assistant Chuck Amato dies at 80

Chuck Amato, the longtime Florida State assistant football coach who went on to lead his alma mater at N.C. State for seven seasons, has died at the age of 80.Amato died early Monday at his Raleigh home under hospice care, the school announced on its athletics website. Amato had previously battled throat cancer and eventually lost his voice.Amato led the Wolfpack from 2000-06, highlighted by the four-year career of eventual NFL star quarterback Philip Rivers and an 11-win season in 2002 that stands as the program's only season with double-digit wins in its history. He did it with flair, from his barrel-chested bravado to attention-grabbing choices for sunglasses and sneakers as he roamed the sideline for the program he played for in the 1960s.“A huge personality, a great mentor to coaches and players alike, and a great alumnus,” current Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said Monday, noting that Amato had come to practices and sat in meetings earlier in Doeren's 14-year tenure.Among those offe