Former Purdue Football Coach Joe Tiller Dies at 74

Joe Tiller, the winningest coach in the history of Purdue football, died Saturday in Buffalo, Wyoming, at the age of 74, according to the program's official Twitter account.

Tiller, who spent 12 years leading the Boilermakers, went 87-62 during his time at the helm and led the program to four bowl victories.

"Today is a very sad day for me and the entire Purdue family," New Orleans Saints and former Purdue quarterback Drew Brees said, per ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg. "Coach Tiller was an important person in my life and to so many other guys who played for him. He did so much more than teach us how to win. He taught us life lessons and how to be great leaders and men."

Current Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm also posted a statement on Twitter:

Tiller spent the first six years of his head coaching career at Wyoming, where he parlayed a 39-30-1 record into a job with Purdue beginning in 1997.

It didn't take Tiller long to make an impact, as the Boilermakers won nine games during each of his first two years in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Purdue proceeded to peak at No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll during the 2004 season, and it wasn't until 2005 that it recorded a losing record under Tiller.

Tiller stepped down from his post after the 2008 campaign.

In July, the Journal and Courier's Mike Carmin reported Tiller had health issues and that Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin, who played and coached under Tiller, disclosed Tiller wasn't "doing too well."