30 Facts About Vince Dooley

Vincent Joseph Dooley was an American college football coach.

Vince Dooley was the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs from 1964 to 1988, as well as the University of Georgia's athletic director from 1979 to 2004.

Vince Dooley's teams won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship.

Vince Dooley was born in Mobile, Alabama, on September 4,1932.

Vince Dooley attended the McGill Institute, administered by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.

Vince Dooley competed on behalf of McGill's athletic teams, known as the Yellow Jackets.

Vince Dooley was recognized as an all-state player in both football and basketball, but considered the latter to be his best sport.

Vince Dooley was awarded a football scholarship to study at Auburn University, where he played college football and later coached under Ralph "Shug" Jordan.

Vince Dooley graduated with a bachelor's degree in business management in 1954, and was a member of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity.

Vince Dooley was then appointed head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs in 1963, at the age of 31, even though he had no prior experience at that position.

Vince Dooley led the Bulldogs to victories in the December 1971 Gator Bowl and the Peach Bowl two years later.

Vince Dooley was consequently honored as AFCA Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, Walter Camp Coach of the Year, and Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year.

Vince Dooley was named SEC Coach of the Year four times.

Vince Dooley retired as head coach at the conclusion of the 1988 season.

Vince Dooley briefly pursued the Democratic Party nomination for Senate seat in Georgia in July 1985 while he was still Georgia's head coach, but ultimately decided against running, stating that it would be "very poor timing" for him to leave the team before the start of the season.

Vince Dooley considered running for governor of Georgia five years later.

Vince Dooley's wife ran in the Republican Party primary for US House in 2002.

Vince Dooley was later hired by Kennesaw State University in December 2009 to work as their consultant, as part of the school's drive to start a football program.

Vince Dooley was the chairman of the board of curators for the Georgia Historical Society from 2016 to 2018.

One of them, Derek Vince Dooley, was the head football coach at the University of Tennessee and Louisiana Tech University, an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins, the University of Georgia, Missouri, and LSU, as well as a position coach for the New York Giants.

Vince Dooley died on October 28,2022, at home in Athens, Georgia.

Vince Dooley was 90, and had recovered from mild symptoms of COVID-19 in the same month as his death.

Vince Dooley was interred at Oconee Hill Cemetery, behind Sanford Stadium, on November 3,2022.

Vince Dooley was inducted in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Vince Dooley was conferred the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, presented by the American Football Coaches Association in 2001.

In 2004, Vince Dooley was enshrined into UGA's Circle of Honor, which is the school's highest tribute to former athletes and coaches.

Vince Dooley received the Homer Rice Award, the highest honor given by the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association, in September 2007.

Vince Dooley was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in July 2012.

Six years later, the Georgia Historical Society established the Vincent J Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program in honor of Dooley.

Historian David Blight and author Rick Atkinson have been named Vincent J Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows.