Former Tennessee Football coach Bill Battle passes away at age 82
Former Tennessee Football coach Bill Battle has passed away at the age of 82. Battle was head coach of the Vols for seven seasons from 1970-76, going 59-22-2 with four bowl wins in five bowl trips.
Battle, a native of Birmingham, Ala., played end at Alabama from 1960-62. He started his coaching career as a graduate-assistant at Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson.
He was hired as an assistant at Army in 1964 and served a two-year military tour in 1964 and 1965 and came to Tennessee as ends coach in 1966.
Bill Battle promoted to head coach at Tennessee at age 28
He only 28 years old when he was promoted to head coach before the 1970 season, the youngest head coach in college football at the time.
Battle’s first Tennessee team finished 11-1 with a 34-13 win over Air Force in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day 1971. His 1971 team finished 10-2 with a win over Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.
The 1972 Vols went 10-2, too, with a win over LSU in the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl. Tennessee went 8-4 in 1973, losing to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl, and went 7-3-2 in 1974 with a win over Maryland in the Liberty Bowl.
Battle’s 1975 team went 7-5 and the Vols went 6-5 in 1976, before legendary former Tennessee tailback Johnny Majors was hired as head coach before the 1977 season, coming off his Pitt team winning the national championship with a perfect 12-0 record.
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Battle founded Collegiate Licensing Company in 1981
He was part of Bear Bryant’s 1961 national championship team at Alabama and was part of Alabama’s All-Decade Team for the 1960s as a first-team tight end and second-team defensive end.
Battle founded Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) in 1981 and was the company’s president and CEO until 2002. CLC was acquired by IMG in 2007.
Battle returned to Alabama as athletic director for four years. He continued as a special assistant to the University of Alabama president after his stint as athletic director.
“I am grateful for the privilege to have known and worked with Bill Battle,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a press release. “Bill was an innovative leader who had a distinguished career as a coach, businessman, and athletics director, who loved his family and was committed to the special opportunities presented through intercollegiate athletics.
“In the SEC, we share in the sorrow of Bill’s passing but are thankful for his impact and friendship.”
