 Amato as head coach ofNorth Carolina State in 2005 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1946-06-26)June 26, 1946 (age 78) Easton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1965–1967 | NC State |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1969–1970 | Easton Area HS (PA) (assistant) |
| 1971–1972 | NC State (GA) |
| 1973–1975 | NC State (DB) |
| 1976–1979 | NC State (DC/LB) |
| 1980–1981 | Arizona (LB) |
| 1982–1985 | Florida State (DL) |
| 1986–1995 | Florida State (AHC/DL) |
| 1996–1999 | Florida State (AHC/LB) |
| 2000–2006 | NC State |
| 2007–2009 | Florida State (EHC/LB) |
| 2012–2017 | Akron (AHC/DC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 49–37 |
| Bowls | 4–1 |
Charles Michael Amato (born June 26, 1946) is a formerAmerican football coach and former player. He was most recently thedefensive coordinator for theAkron Zips football team. He served as the head football coach atNorth Carolina State University from 2000 to 2006, compiling a record of 49–37. On January 17, 2007, Amato returned toFlorida State, where he had coached as assistant for nearly two decades before moving to NC State, as executive associate head coach and linebackers coach, a position he held for three seasons.
Amato was born inEaston, Pennsylvania in theLehigh Valley region of the state. He graduated fromEaston Area High School, where boxerLarry Holmes was one of his classmates. Amato attendedNorth Carolina State University, where he graduated with aBachelor of Science in mathematics in 1969 and a master's degree in education in 1973.
At North Carolina State, Amato was a three-year letter winner in bothfootball andwrestling. He playedlinebacker on the 1965 team that won anAtlantic Coast Conference co–championship and posted two undefeated seasons as a wrestler, winning two ACC titles at heavyweight in 1966 and at the 191-pound (87 kg) weight class in 1968.
Following his graduation from North Carolina State, Amato spent two years as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater,Easton High School.
In 1971, Amato began a nine-year stint as an assistant coach with North Carolina State, working underAl Michaels,Lou Holtz, andBo Rein.
He then spent two seasons at theUniversity of Arizona (1980 and 1981), where he served as thelinebackers coach. He then joinedFlorida State University, where he spent 18 years in various defensive football coaching capacities, including that of assistant head coach for 14 years. At Florida State, he was defensive line coach for 14 years and spent four seasons as linebacker coach.
In 2002, Amato was elected to the American Football Coaches Association Board of Trustees.
Amato accumulated an overall record of 49–37, including a record of 34–17 during the four-year period from 2000 through 2003 whilePhilip Rivers was the starting quarterback. Amato's most successful season was in 2002 when the Wolfpack defeatedNotre Dame in theGator Bowl to cap off an 11–win season in which his team finished No. 12 in the AP Poll.
After Rivers graduated, Amato's NC State teams finished 5–6 in 2004, 7–5 in 2005, and 3–9 in 2006.
On November 26, 2006, Amato was fired by NC State athletics director Lee Fowler after a seven–game losing streak to lose the 2006 season. Noted losses include an upset by theAkron Zips (5–7), a third straight loss to theNorth Carolina Tar Heels (3–9), and a loss at home to theEast Carolina Pirates (7–5).[1] Highlights of the 2006 season include wins against theBoston College Eagles and theFlorida State Seminoles. In a statement, Fowler acknowledged Amato's "excitement and enthusiasm." This enthusiasm fueled an $87 million renovation toCarter–Finley Stadium. Nonetheless, mediocre 2005 and 2006 seasons led to the decision remove Amato and "to take the program in a new direction."
In 2007, Amato returned to Florida State University as executive associate head coach and linebackers coach. In December 2009 with the retirement of Bobby Bowden, Amato was notified by new Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher that he will not be retained on staff. Amato coached the 2010Gator Bowl game and was subsequently released from the Florida State program. In December 2009, Amato was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer.[2] After a successful six week treatment, he vowed to return to coaching in 2011.[2]
Amato returned to coaching for the 2012 season as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator underTerry Bowden. Amato retired from Akron in February 2018.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC State Wolfpack(Atlantic Coast Conference)(2000–2006) | |||||||||
| 2000 | NC State | 8–4 | 4–4 | 5th | WMicronPC.com | ||||
| 2001 | NC State | 7–5 | 4–4 | T–4th | LTangerine | ||||
| 2002 | NC State | 11–3 | 5–3 | 4th | WGator | 11 | 12 | ||
| 2003 | NC State | 8–5 | 4–4 | T–4th | WTangerine | ||||
| 2004 | NC State | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–8th | |||||
| 2005 | NC State | 7–5 | 3–5 | T–4th(Atlantic) | WMeineke Car Care | ||||
| 2006 | NC State | 3–9 | 2–6 | 6th(Atlantic) | |||||
| NC State: | 49–37 | 25–31 | |||||||
| Total: | 49–37 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Amato has been a part of 11ACC championships, one as a player at North Carolina State (1965), two as an assistant coach for North Carolina State (1973 and 1979), and eight consecutive seasons at Florida State (1992 through 1999).