Dean Slayton is an American former football coach. He was the 13th head football coach at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, serving for seven seasons, from 1972 to 1978, compiling a record of 28âÂÂ42âÂÂ2. After leaving Howard Payne in 1979, Slayton became an assistant coach at North Texas State UniversityâÂÂnow known as University of North TexasâÂÂunder head coach Jerry Moore. He followed Moore to Texas Tech University in 1981 and remained there as an assistant coach for 16 seasons.