Former Georgia football head coach and athletic director Vince Dooley has passed away.
It is a very sad day for Georgia and Auburn, as Vince Dooley has passed away at the age of 90.
Dooley died peacefully in his home on Friday afternoon with his wife and four children present. While Dooley played his college football at Auburn, he became a legendary head coach and athletic director after that at Georgia. He won 207 games, six SEC Championships and the 1980 National Championship while at the helm of the Georgia program. Dooley touched the lives of so, so many.
While Dooley lived a great life, the news of him passing the day before the No. 1 team in the nation takes on arch rival Florida in Jacksonville is so beyond brutal.
Prayers out to The Dooleys, as well Georgia, Auburn and college football fans everywhere today.
Georgia football iconic head coach Vince Dooley passes away at the age of 90
It just happened, but it is borderline impossible to describe what Dooley meant to Georgia Bulldogs athletics, the University of Georgia and the entire state, for that matter. You can lie to yourself all you want, but there is nothing bigger in the State of Georgia than Georgia football. Dooley transcended generations of Georgians with dignity, class and grace every step of the way.
We make jokes all the time about this guy or that guy deserves a statue. Well, statues are hard to come by in the Classic City, and Dooley has one. For a program that just won its third national title ever last year, Dooley remains the gold standard of excellence on and off the gridiron at Georgia. You never had to see him coach a game to know the impact he had. It was one everyone could feel.
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. That is how we will remember Vince Dooley, a legend among the legends. It had been a long 41 years in between national titles. If there is any consolation to this, at least Dooley got to see Kirby Smart win No. 3. While the field Between the Hedges bares his name, even that is not good enough. It has to be Dooley-Sanford Stadium now.
It is going to be an emotional one in Jacksonville tomorrow, but just know that one of our biggest fans got upgraded to the best seat in the house, sitting right next to Larry Munson to take it all in.
Go win this one for Coach Dooley!
RIP Vince Dooley
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