Mike DuBose

Michael Lynn DuBose (born January 5, 1953) is an American football coach, most recently serving for Opp High School in Opp, Alabama. His most recent college coaching experience was serving as defensive line coach for the University of Memphis. DuBose came to Memphis from Millsaps College, where he was the Majors' head coach from 2006 to 2009. He resurrected the school's struggling football program by winning outright or sharing a conference title in each of his four seasons there. DuBose is best known for his four-year stint as the head football coach at his alma mater, the University of Alabama, where he led the Crimson Tide to an SEC championship in 1999.

Prior to coaching, DuBose played for Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, where he was a teammate of other noted players such as John and Charley Hannah and Sylvester Croom and was a part of the Crimson Tide's 1973 national championship team.

Playing career DuBose was born in Opp, Alabama. He earned four varsity letters as an athlete at Opp High School, before going to the University of Alabama, where he played for the Crimson Tide on the defensive line under head coach Bear Bryant from 1972 to 1974. The highlight of DuBose's career was a performance against the Tennessee Volunteers in which he caused a fumble, had twenty tackles, and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week. His career totals included 129 total tackles, eight forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries.

Slow start In 1997, DuBose's first season at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won its first two games. However, they soon began feeling the strain of the loss of 30 scholarships as a result of NCAA violations from the Stallings era. They lost seven of the last nine games, including their first loss to Kentucky since 1922, blowout losses at the hands of Tennessee and LSU, and a loss to Louisiana Tech. The 1997 Iron Bowl presented DuBose an opportunity to salvage at least a piece of a lost season, but Alabama lost after leading the game 17–15 with less than a minute to go. Faced with a third and a long one and the prospect of having to punt the ball to Auburn if they did not convert, leaving Auburn an opportunity to get into field goal range, the Tide ran a screen pass, resulting in a fumble and Auburn recovery that led to the game-winning field goal for the Tigers. Much controversy surrounded the apparent fact that DuBose not only didn't call the play, but didn't know what play was being run. DuBose reacted by firing four assistants, including the ones who called the play, Bruce Arians and Woody McCorvey. The Tide finished with the school's worst record since 1957, the year before Bryant arrived.

The following year, 1998, DuBose led the team to a 7–5 record and a berth in the inaugural Music City Bowl against Virginia Tech. The Tide lost with a poor performance on a day with even worse weather, 38–7, and DuBose went back to the drawing board. Nonetheless, DuBose restored much of the goodwill he had lost in his first season with a comeback over LSU in Tiger Stadium, and a win over Auburn in Legion Field, which coincidentally was the last time the Iron Bowl was played at the location.

In May 1999, rumor leaked out on the Internet that DuBose was accused of having an affair with Deborah Gibson, his secretary. DuBose flatly denied the charges, but three months later acknowledged the affair and reached an out-of-court settlement that paid over $300,000 out of his own pocket, removed the final two years of his contract (leaving him without a job after the upcoming 1999 season unless either an extension was granted or a new contract was reached), and gave the administration the chance to fire him at any time they desired.

SEC champions After a 2–0 start, Louisiana Tech stunned Alabama again, scoring a touchdown on the last play from scrimmage, a 29-yard pass by Brian Stallworth, who replaced an injured Tim Rattay on the previous play, to win. Calls for DuBose's firing reached a fevered pitch, and the administration responded by firing Athletic Director Bob Bockrath. Rumors persisted that DuBose would be the next to go in the off-week of October 9, 1999, right after the Tide was expected to be routed by the Florida Gators. However, Alabama suddenly took off behind All-American tailback Shaun Alexander and Outland Trophy winner Chris Samuels, who played left tackle. DuBose pulled the team together and beat Arkansas, then beat Florida in a 40–39 overtime game that ended Florida's five-year home winning streak and put Alabama back in the top ten. They went the rest of the regular season losing only to Tennessee, 21–7, and earned the right to meet Florida again for the SEC Championship after a dominating fourth quarter in Jordan–Hare Stadium to beat Auburn. The win over Auburn marked the first time since 1992 that either Alabama or Auburn had won the Iron Bowl in consecutive years, and it was first time Alabama had ever beaten Auburn in Jordan–Hare Stadium.

On December 4, 1999, Alabama and Florida played a rematch at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Florida was expected to return the favor of Alabama's October win. The Gators scored in five plays to start the game but never scored the rest of the night. The game was close, 15-7 Alabama, until the early fourth quarter when a broken play ran by Freddie Milons, a wide receiver lined up at quarterback, bolted for a 77-yard touchdown after reversing his field. Two plays later, defensive lineman Reggie Grimes tipped, intercepted, and scored a touchdown on a pass from Jesse Palmer. The final score was Alabama 34, Florida 7.

After the game, the two years removed from DuBose's contract after the Gibson settlement were restored. Alabama then faced Michigan in the Orange Bowl where the Tide lost 35–34 on a missed PAT in the first overtime. Alabama ended the year ranked 8th in both major polls, its first top-10 finish in five years.

For the Tide's 10–3 performance, DuBose was named SEC Coach of the Year. After a controversial loss to Arkansas -- in which two disputed calls allowed the Razorbacks to continue what would be the game-winning drive -- the Tide rebounded to beat South Carolina and Ole Miss to raise its record to 3-3. As it turned out, the 45-7 thumping of Ole Miss was the last game DuBose would win. Things reached a nadir on October 28, 2000, when the Tide lost to underdog Central Florida at home, 40–38. On the Tuesday after the game, it was announced that DuBose had been fired, but would be allowed to finish out the season.

2006 In his first season as head coach, Millsaps shocked the SCAC by finishing undefeated in conference play and earning the conference's automatic playoff bid for the first time since 1975.

DuBose was named the SCAC's 2006 coach of the year for engineering the Majors' remarkable turn-around. Sophomore quarterback Juan Joseph was named the league's offensive player of the year and Senior wide receiver Chris Jackson was honored as the league's special teams player of the year (and a first team All-American ) for his role as the team's return specialist. In all, 20 Majors were named to the All-SCAC first team, second team and honorable mention lists.

2007 In 2007, DuBose's Majors repeated as conference champions, this time sharing the title with Trinity. However, because Trinity defeated Millsaps head-to-head, with the Tigers winning on the game's final play, "The Mississippi Miracle", it was they, not Millsaps, who received the automatic playoff bid reserved for the SCAC champions. Despite the Majors finishing with the program's best win–loss record since 1996, they failed to receive an at-large bid into the playoffs.

As in 2006, the Majors' success on the field was reflected in the 2007 all-conference awards. Junior Quarterback Juan Joseph was the SCAC's offensive player of the year for the second consecutive season, senior defensive tackle Casey Younger was the league's co-defensive player of the year and sophomore return specialist John Milazzo was the SCAC's special teams player of the year. In all, 19 Majors were named to the All-SCAC first team, second team and honorable mention lists.

2008 The 2008 season was DuBose's best at Millsaps. His veteran squad finished the season 11–1 after an undefeated regular season and captured a third consecutive SCAC crown. Prior to the team's season-ending playoff loss to Washington & Jefferson, the 2008 Majors won every game they played by 17 or more points, with just one team completing a game within 20 points of Millsaps. The team climbed to their highest national ranking ever, #3, before finishing the season ranked #12.

Once again, DuBose was named the conference's coach of the year and senior quarterback Juan Joseph was the SCAC's offensive player of the year for the third consecutive season. Sophomore wide receiver and return specialist Michael Galatas was named the conference's special teams player of the year and freshman running back Shane Bowser was the SCAC's co-newcomer of the year. In all, 20 Majors were named to the All-SCAC first team, second team and honorable mention lists.

2009 In 2009, Millsaps again earned a share of the SCAC championship, giving DuBose and the Majors four conferences titles in as many years.

Junior return specialist Michael Galatas was named the SCAC's Special Teams Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the fourth consecutive season the award went to a Millsaps player, and junior linebacker Will Hawkins was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, and a first team All-American. A total of 20 Majors were voted to the all-conference first, second and honorable mention teams.

In December, DuBose announced he was leaving Millsaps to join new Memphis coach Larry Porter's staff. DuBose's tenure ended with 33 victories in four seasons, prior to which the Majors won just 37 games in the 10 years, and DuBose's four conference championships came after the Majors had won only two since joining the SCAC in 1989. Through 43 games, DuBose's teams scored more than 37 points per game and allowed just over 17 points per game. DuBose's .767 winning percentage is the highest of any coach in the school's history and only Harper Davis, who led Millsaps football for a quarter century from 1964 to 1988, won more games as the Majors' head coach.

Memphis In December 2009, Mike DuBose was hired by head football coach Larry Porter to be the defensive line coach at the University of Memphis.

Luverne High School DuBose returned to Luverne High School as head coach in 2013. In a 2013 AL.com article, he stated that he enjoys high school coaching the most of any level at which he has coached. Under DuBose's leadership, Luverne went 11–2 during the 2013 season. DuBose resigned on February 12, 2015, to accept a job coaching linebackers at his alma mater, Opp High School.

Opp High School In 2021 DuBose was hired as the head coach at Opp High School replacing Brent Hill. Dubose led the Bobcats to a 17–6 record in his two seasons at Opp including two playoff appearances. On December 2, 2022, Dubose retired from coaching to spend more time with family.

Head coaching record College

Personal life DuBose is married to the former Polly Martin of Opp, Alabama. They have two children, a son and a daughter.