Legendary Georgia Bulldogs football head coach Vince Dooley passed away Friday afternoon, the university announced. He was 90 years old.
The Hall of Fame coach died peacefully at his home, according to UGA, surrounded by his wife and four children.
The Alabama native spent 25 years coaching at Georgia … and became the winningest coach for the school with a 201-77-10 record. In 1980 he won a National Championship … and throughout his career, he was able to secure six conference titles.
Dooley also won SEC Coach of the Year five times.
After retiring, Dooley became Georgia’s athletic director … and during his tenure, UGA sports teams won 23 national titles.
Georgia football alum and Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman paid tribute to Dooley following the news of his passing … posting a throwback pic of the former coach celebrating.
“REST IN PARADISE VINCE DOOLEY,” Hardman said on Twitter. “#DamnGoodDawg.”
REST IN PARADISE VINCE DOOLEY #DamnGoodDawg 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/D8TyKQlqoa
— Mecole Hardman Jr. (@MecoleHardman4) October 28, 2022
@MecoleHardman4
The Georgia football field was renamed Dooley Field in Vince’s honor in 2019. Earlier this year, he celebrated his 90th birthday in front of 70,000 fans at the Oregon versus Georgia game in Atlanta.
By the end of his career, Dooley had been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the College Football Hall of Fame.
R.I.P.