Former Texas assistant coach Darryl Drake passes away at 62

Former Texas assistant coach Darryl Drake died Sunday morning in Pittsburgh at the age of 62.

Drake, who was serving as the wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, spent six seasons in Austin alongside former Texas coach Mack Brown — from 1998 to 2003.

Drake coached a number of Longhorn legends while in Austin, including Roy Williams, Kwame Cavil and B.J. Johnson. Drake was responsible for coaching the Longhorns first-ever 1,000-yard receiver, Wane McGarity, in his first season at Texas in 1998.

Brown and current coach Tom Herman released the following statements:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sheila, the girls and his family,” Brown said. “Darryl was a man who had a great spirit about him and was beloved by the kids, the staff and everyone that came in contact with him. He was a tremendous coach who recruited and developed some of the best receivers in Texas history. He was a man that loved his family, his team and always brought a smile to your face. There are a ton of great stories and memories, and the impact he had on so many is a legacy that will live on forever.”

Tom Herman:

“Coach Drake was a mentor of mine and someone I kept in constant contact with over the years,” said Tom Herman, who was on staff with Drake at Texas in 1999 and 2000. “He was a tremendous coach and awesome man who impacted so many great players and coaches. Coach Drake was loved by many and will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Sheila, his daughters and his entire family. We will do anything we can to support them.”

A number of Longhorns also shared thoughts about Drake on Twitter, including former Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson.

Drake left Texas in 2004 for a job with the Chicago Bears after 21 years in college football. He remained an NFL coach for the remainder of his career with stops in Chicago, Arizona and Pittsburgh.