Bill Battle, a Crimson Tide AD and former Vols football coach, passes away
Battle, who took over as a 28-year-old after serving as Doug Dickey’s assistant during the 1966–69 season, led the Volunteers to a 59-22-2 record in the 1970–76 season. In Battle’s first three seasons, Tennessee finished 31-5, losing 0–3 to Auburn, 1-2 to Alabama, and 30-0 to all other teams. Under Battle’s leadership, the Vols went 4-1 in bowl games, crushed Air Force in the Sugar Bowl after the 1970 season, and defeated Penn State early in the 1972 season in the first-ever night game at Neyland Stadium. Additionally, he will always be associated with Condredge Holloway, who was the first Black quarterback to start in the SEC from 1972 to 1974.
In a statement, former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, a guard for the Vols from 1969 to 1971, stated, “Coach Battle was a tremendous leader for us when he took over for Coach Dickey.” “We never missed a beat, and our teams remained exceptional. As players, he helped us out. He was always devoted to us and accepted us as his school.In addition to being an excellent businessman, Coach Battle was a wonderful guy. We had a wonderful friendship. Battle was fired as coach after his final two seasons ended with a record of just 13-10, and Johnny Majors took over as coach. Majors had just led Pittsburgh to the national championship in 1976.
Battle was a part of Paul “Bear” Bryant’s first national championship squad in 1961 while playing for Alabama, but his success off the field was actually far greater. Up until 2002, he was the president and chief executive officer of the Collegiate Licensing Company, which he founded in 1981. After that, he went back to school in 2013 and was the Crimson Tide’s sports director until 2017. “Bill Battle was first class in every way,” said Nick Saban, the former football coach of Alabama, who spent 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa and won six national titles. “He was a great example of integrity and character for the University of Alabama. He was a brilliant football player at Alabama, a prosperous head coach at a college, and a trailblazer who transformed the Business college
“When he returned to run the Alabama athletics department, I got to know him the best since his leadership and vision were key components of the Crimson Tide’s success, which led to our 2015 national championship. Terry and I are deeply grieved by his departure, and his wife Mary and their whole family are in our prayers and thoughts. He will be sorely missed.