April 25, 2024
VINCE DOOLEY
Full Name: Vincent Joseph Dooley
Born: Sept. 4, 1932, in Mobile, Alabama
Died: Oct. 28, 2022, in Athens, Georgia
Alma Mater: Auburn (Class of 1954)
Head Football Coach: Georgia (1964-88)
Athletic Director: Georgia (1979-2004)
Best Season: Led the Bulldogs to their only undisputed national title during the 1980 season with a team led by freshman running back Herschel Walker. Georgia capped a 12-0 season with a 17-10 victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
Other Accomplishments: Six Southeastern Conference championships (1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982); retired from coaching with a record of 201-77-10, at the time with the second-most wins in SEC history behind only Bear Bryant; 20 bowl appearances, including five Sugar Bowls and three Cotton Bowls; College Football Hall of Game (1994).
Noteworthy: Only one losing season in his 25-year coaching career — 5-6 in 1977.
Runs In The Blood: Younger brother Bill Dooley coached for 26 years at North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, winning three Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Son Derek Dooley has been a head coach at Tennessee and Louisiana Tech.
Serving His Country: An officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1954-56.
Other Passions: Gardening and Civil War history.
Did You Know? Considered a run for U.S. Senate in the 1980s.
