Chuck Amato Charles " Chuck " Amato ( born June 26 , 1946 ) is the defensive coordinator for the Akron Zips football team . He served as the head football at North Carolina State University from 2000 to 2006 , compiling a record of 49 – 37 . On January 17 , 2007 , Amato returned to Florida 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 . Early life and playing career . Amato was born in Easton , in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania , and graduated from Easton Area High School . Boxer Larry Holmes was a classmate of Amato in Easton . Amato earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from North Carolina State University in 1969 and a master ' s degree in education in 1973 . At North Carolina State , Amato was a three - year letter winner in both football and wrestling . He played linebacker on the 1965 team that won an Atlantic Coast Conference co – championship and posted two undefeated seasons as a wrestler , earning two ACC titles , at heavyweight in 1966 and in weight class in 1968 . Coaching career . Easton High School . Following his graduation from North Carolina State , Amato spent two years as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater , Easton High School . Assistant at NC State . In 1971 , Amato began a nine - year stint as an assistant coach with North Carolina State , working under Al Michaels , Lou Holtz , and Bo Rein . Arizona and Florida State . He then spent two seasons at the University of Arizona ( 1980 and 1981 ) , where he served as the linebacker s coach . He then joined Florida 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 . ACC championships . Amato has been a part of 11 ACC 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 ) . Head coach at NC State . 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 while Philip Rivers was the starting quarterback . Amato ' s most successful season was in 2002 when the Wolfpack defeated Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl to cap off an 11 – win season in which his team finished ranked # 12 in the AP poll . After Philip Rivers graduated and left for the NFL , Amato ' s NC State teams finished 5 – 6 in 2004 , 7 – 5 in 2005 , and 3 – 9 in 2006 . On November 26 of 2006 , Amato was fired by NC State athletics director Lee Fowler after a seven – game losing streak capped off the 2006 season . Noted losses include an upset by the Akron Zips ( 5 – 7 ) , a third straight loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels ( 3 – 9 ) , and a loss at home to the East Carolina Pirates ( 7 – 5 ) . Highlights of the 2006 season include wins against the Boston College Eagles and the Florida State Seminoles . In a statement , Fowler acknowledged Amato ' s " excitement and enthusiasm . " This enthusiasm fueled an $ 87 million renovation to Carter - Finley Stadium . Nonetheless , mediocre 2005 and 2006 seasons led to the decision " to take the program in a new direction . " Return to Florida State . 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 2010 Gator Bowl game and was subsequently released from the Florida State program . In December 2009 , Amato was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer . After a successful six week treatment , he vowed to return to coaching in 2011 . Assistant at Akron . Amato returned to coaching for the 2012 season as the Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator under Terry Bowden .