Former Tennessee football head coach Bill Battle passes away.
Former Tennessee football head coach Bill Battle passed away at the age of 82, the University of Alabama announced.
He served as Tennessee’s head coach from 1970-76, compiling a 59–22–2 record in seven seasons. Battle defeated Bear Bryant and Alabama in his first Third Saturday in October meeting as Tennessee’s head coach in 1970.
Battle played at Alabama for Bryant from 1960-62. He was part of Bryant’s first national championship team in 1961.
Battle began his coaching career in 1963 as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma for Bud Wilkinson. He then served a two-year military tour from 1964-65, and was an assistant coach at Army for Paul Dietzel.
The former Vols’ head coach arrived at Tennessee in 1966, serving as an ends coach for Doug Dickey. Dickey left to become Florida’s head coach following the 1969 season. Battle replaced Dickey, becoming Tennessee’s head coach at 29 years old.
In 1981, Battle founded the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), serving as president and CEO until 2002. He also served Alabama’s director of athletics from 2013-17.
Former Tennessee wide receiver Stan Trott details catching the game winning touchdown on the Vols’ 99-yard drive at Florida in 1971.
Tennessee and Florida played six times in Gainesville before Southeastern Conference divisional play began in 1992.
Tennessee compiled a 5-16 record versus the Gators in Gainesville from 1953-2021.
The Vols won in Gainesville for a third time on Oct. 2, 1971.
The 1971 contest was tied, 13-13, at halftime. The game’s final points took place with 4:47 remaining in the third quarter, producing one of the most iconic drives in Tennessee’s history.
Florida’s John James punted the ball to the Tennessee one-yard line. Lenny Lucas downed the ball for the Gators at the one-yard line, while sliding into the end zone. Tennessee head coach Bill Battle argued the ruling on the field and the Vols received a penalty, placing the ball six inches closer to the goal line.
Tennessee went 99 yards on a game-winning touchdown drive to defeat the Gators, 20-13.
Wide receiver Stan Trott recorded Tennessee’s game-winning 20-yard touchdown reception from third-string quarterback Phil Pierce on the drive.
Trott discussed Tennessee’s win at Florida in 1971 with Vols Wire.
“We drove 99.5 yards for that score,” Trott said. “Coach Battle was an easy going guy. They had punted and Florida touched the ball and it was in the end zone. The refs spotted it on the half-yard line. Coach Battle came running down and I thought he was going to get kicked out. He was so mad because they spotted it on the half-yard line. It should have been a touchback. They say the drive was 99 yards, but we should get credit for that half-yard.
“Everything was in rhythm during the drive. Phil was a dual-threat quarterback and could run and throw. It was kind of a perfect situation between running options and throwing a pass or two. We just kept moving. It was one play after another, four or five yards. First down, another four or five yards. We got down to the 20-yard line and it was a pass play, but it was going to be more of a hook play. As I went out, they were aware of me from the previous year, so they were covering me pretty good. Phil was sprinting out and threw a perfect pass to me. At the time, we didn’t know that was the game winner because it was in the third quarter, but we had a great defense.”
Joe Rudis/USA TODAY Network
The 1971 matchup featured two second-year head coaches in Battle and Florida’s Doug Dickey.
Dickey served as the Vols’ head coach from 1964-69. Battle was Tennessee’s assistant ends coach under Dickey from 1966-69.
Dickey left Tennessee for Florida after the Vols’, 14-13, loss to the Gators on Dec. 27, 1969. The contest took place in the Gator Bowl.
Battle was elevated as head coach after Dickey’s departure.
“Everybody on Tennessee’s 1971 team was recruited by coach Dickey,” Trott said. “In 1970 against Florida, Dickey came back and we beat them. The next year we were going to Gainesville, and again it was coach Dickey. They were fired up and it was a night game, and it was hot.
“The Florida games were big back then, especially for the 1970 and 1971 games when coach Dickey was playing us for the first time home and away. Coach Dickey going to Florida made the first two games especially big just for that reason. 1971 was a big game and a great game. It was probably one of the biggest drives in Tennessee history, going the length of the field.”
Alabama dedicates sports training center to former UT head coach Bill Battle.
A former University of Tennessee football head coach has been honored.
The University of Alabama paid tribute to former UT head coach when it unveiled the Bill Battle Athletic Performance Center on Wednesday.
Battle played for the Crimson Tide and legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant from 1960-62.
He later went on to become an assistant for Army between 1964-65.
After his time at West Point, Battle came to Knoxville where he coached ends for UT between 1966-69 under head coach Doug Dickey.
On Wednesday we had the honor of unveiling the Bill Battle Athletic Performance Center! Thank you to Coach Battle and the Battle family for everything you've done for Alabama!
Vols’ football history 1970-1976: Head coach Bill Battle
KNOXVILLE — University of Tennessee football is rich in tradition and Vols Wire will explore the program by examining each head coach’s tenure.
This installment will focus on the time that Bill Battle spent as head coach on Rocky Top.
When Battle replaced Doug Dickey he was 29, making him the youngest head coach at the time.
Battle came to UT after a stint as an assistant coach at Army. He worked at West Point between 1964-65 before joining Dickey’s staff as an assistant.
Battle never had a losing record as Tennessee’s head coach. He went 31-5 over his first three seasons, but also never won a Southeastern Conference championship. Battle beat Alabama 24-0 during his first season but fell to Auburn, 36-23, in the second game of the campaign. The Big Orange won 10 consecutive games to finish the 1970 season.
In 1971, Tennessee went 10-2, losing to both Auburn and Alabama. It was the same story again in 1972.
The following year, the Vols beat Auburn, but lost to Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss during the regular season. Tennessee opened the campaign with five consecutive victories and ended on a losing note when it fell to Texas Tech in the Gator Bowl.
In 1974, Tennessee went 7-3-2 and had losses to Alabama, Auburn and LSU. They were also tied by in-state rival Vanderbilt.
In 1975, the Volunteers won seven games and lost to the Commodores, Alabama, LSU, UCLA, Kentucky and North Texas State.
In Battle’s final season, the Vols went 6-5.
After his time on Rocky Top, he became a licensing agent and founder of The Collegiate Licensing Company.
He returned to Tuscaloosa, where he was Alabama’s athletic director from 2013-17.
