Former Ohio State Head Coach Earle Bruce Diagnosed with Early-Stage Alzheimer's

Earle Bruce, who coached for Ohio State, Iowa State and Colorado State, is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. 

Matt McCoy of 610 WTVN reported the news:

The 86-year-old was inducted into the college football Hall of Fame in 2002.

Bruce graduated from Ohio State and returned to the Buckeyes as a head coach in 1979 after six years with Iowa State. In his first year after replacing Woody Hayes, his squad went 11-1, losing its only game in the Rose Bowl. He was named the Big Ten's Coach of the Year that season.

He remained in Columbus for nine years, accumulating a 81-26-1 record with a 5-3 mark in bowl games.

The coach finished his career at the Division 1A level with four years at Colorado State.

In addition to his success on the field, he also has developed an impressive coaching tree, with big names like Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Pete Carroll and Nick Saban all working as assistants under him, per Natalie Meisler of the Denver Post. Each of them have gone on to win a national championship as a head coach.

Per McCoy, Lynn Bruce has set up the Earle and Jean Bruce Alzheimer's fund for people to donate in honor of the coach.