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Pete ThamelESPN
USC assistant football coach Dave Nichol died Friday at the age of 45, the school said.
USC did not release a cause of death, but a source told ESPN that Nichol had cancer.
Nichol was hired on Lincoln Riley’s new staff at USC as the associate head coach for offense and inside wide receivers coach. He led a long and accomplished career in coaching, including stints at Mississippi State, Washington State, East Carolina and Arizona.
“We are heartbroken and devastated,” Riley said in a statement. “Dave was such a tremendous human being and a fantastic football coach. He absolutely loved the game and constantly poured his heart and soul into his teams. He will be dearly missed.”
Celebrating the life and legacy of @coachdavenichol#FightOnForever pic.twitter.com/CqjnfyyMlS
— USC Football (@USC_FB) March 25, 2022
On March 21, Riley announced that Nichol was focusing on a medical matter and would be away from the team.
Nichol began his career as a student coach at Texas Tech in 2000 and 2001, after playing wide receiver for the Red Raiders, earning a letter in 1999. He also worked at Cisco College in Texas and had stints at both Texas Tech and Baylor as a graduate assistant.
He spent four years at Washington State as a receivers coach under Mike Leach, and then served as the inside receivers coach at Mississippi State the last two seasons.
“Dave had such a positive personality, attitude and energy,” Leach said in a statement posted on Twitter. “He made everyone around him a better person and impacted everyone he met with kindness, loyalty and friendship. He meant a lot to me and countless others, and I will forever be grateful to have had him in my life for the last 22 years.”
Nichol is survived by his father, Robert Nichol Sr., and brothers Robert Nichol Jr. and Jimmy Nichol.