Bill Battle

Bill Battle

Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	Dec 8, 1941 Birmingham, Alabama
Playing career
1960–1962	Alabama
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1964–1965	Army (assistant)
1966–1969	Tennessee (ends)
1970–1976	Tennessee
Head coaching record
Overall	59–22–2
Bowls	4–1
Statistics College Football Data Warehouse

Bill Battle (born 1941) is the Athletic Director of the University of Alabama. He was appointed by University President Dr. Judy Bonner and approved by the board of trustees March 22, 2013. He succeeded long-time Director Mal Moore, who stepped down for health reasons at age 73. Bill was formerly a licensing executive and a college football player and coach. He was the head football coach at the University of Tennessee from 1970 to 1976. At the time he began as head coach, he was, at 29, the youngest college head coach in the country. A native of Birmingham, Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama, Battle was one of many of Bear Bryant's former players and assistant coaches who later became head coaches.

Despite a 59–22–2 record in seven seasons in Knoxville in an era in which Alabama dominated the Southeastern Conference and annually contended for the national championship, Battle was forced out after the 1976 season, allowing Volunteer legend Johnny Majors to return to his alma mater after leading Pittsburgh to the 1976 national championship.

Battle is the founder and chairman of The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC). In 1981, while working for Golden Eagle Enterprises in Selma, Alabama, Battle signed Paul "Bear" Bryant to a licensing agreement. The University of Alabama signed on as CLC’s first university client. In 1983, Battle moved the newly formed company to Atlanta, Georgia.

Battle is also a member of the group that votes in the Harris Interactive College Football Poll.

Head coaching record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches^#	AP^°
Tennessee Volunteers (Southeastern Conference) (1970–1976)
1970	Tennessee	11–1	4–1	2nd	W Sugar	4	4
1971	Tennessee	10–2	4–2	T–4th	W Liberty	9	9
1972	Tennessee	10–2	4–2	4th	W Astro-Bluebonnet	11	8
1973	Tennessee	8–4	3–3	4th	L Gator		19
1974	Tennessee	7–3–2	2–3–1	T–7th	W Liberty	15	20
1975	Tennessee	7–5	3–3	5th
1976	Tennessee	6–5	2–4	8th
Tennessee:		59–22–2	22–18–1
Total:		59–22–2
^#Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ^°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

External links

• Bill Battle at the College Football Data Warehouse