Former quarterback, coach, and athletic director Steve Sloan passes away at age 79

The college football landscape lost an all-time great on Sunday with Steve Sloan passing away on April 14 in Orlando. Spending the past three months in memory care and dying at Orlando Health Phillips Hospital at the age of 79.

An Austin, Texas native, Sloan chose Alabama as his school of choice out of high school, playing under legendary coach Baer Bryant from 1962 to 1965. Severing as a backup quarterback to ‘Broadway’ Joe Namath before taking over as the starter in 1964 following an injury to Namath. During his two seasons as the Crimson Tide starter Sloan helped lead the team to back to back SEC titles and national championships in 1964 and 1965. Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 11th round of the 1966 NFL Draft.

His professional playing career was brief, transitioning to a career in coaching starting in 1968 as an assistant on Alabama’s coaching staff. Sloan spent a season apiece as the offensive coordinator at Florida State and Georgia Tech before receiving the first head coaching job of his career with Vanderbilt.

Sloan spent two seasons with the Commodores, leading the team to a 12–9–2 record and their second bowl appearance in program history. Named the SEC Coach of the Year and tying Texas Tech in the 1974 Peach Bowl before becoming the head coach of the Red Raiders the following season. Where he’d spend three seasons with a 23–12 record, highlighted by a SWC Coach of the Year award and a 10–2 record in the 1976 season along with a conference title win and two total bowl appearances.

He’d go on to become the head coach at Ole Miss in 1978, the longest tenure of his coaching career after spending five seasons with the Rebels in Oxford. Following a 20–34–1 overall record at Ole Miss, he’d close out his college coaching career at Duke, spending four seasons with the Blue Devils with a 13–31 record at the helm.

His administrative career would start immediately after resigning as Duke’s head coach, with Steve Spurrier named as his successor. Becoming the athletic director at him alma mater, Alabama, in 1987. After three years with the Crimson Tide he’d spend two as North Texas‘ athletic director. Followed by a decade long stint at UCF that would represent the longest athletic director tenure of his career.

Sloan spent five years as the AD at Tennessee-Chattanooga before returning to Orlando to retire alongside his wife Brenda. Closing the book on a memorable career in college athletics and a legacy that spread across multiple programs throughout his time.