I m looking for some info on X-Tennessee football coach Bill Battle. I read today where he was a Alabama grad, played for Bear Bryant, and was promoted as the Vols head coach in 1970 at the age of 28. Pretty interesting story I think. Why was he fired, or did he quit? Why was he promoted? Where did he coach before and after the job? I ve found very little info on the guy on the internet. Thanks for any info!

[01kahuna]

He was fired because he went 7 and 3 and Johnny Majors became available. He was selling windows in Atlanta and never coached again as far as I know.

[Bob Jazz]

He was offensive coordinator for Doug Dickey. Dickey angered Vols fans by leaving for Florida, and Battle was promoted. Popular with his players, he never beat Alabama - which is why many Vols have said an Alabama grad will never become head coach at Tennessee again.
I think a Division II school in Alabama has something named for Battle - so I don't know if he coached there after Tennessee or not.

Bill Battle was hired by then AD Bob Woodruff after Doug Dickey returned to his alma mater- Florida. Battle was UT's head coach from 1970 through the 1976 season. He officially resigned after the Kentucky game in 1976 (a 7-0 loss to UK)and coached his final game against Vanderbilt. His record at UT was 59-22-2. Until Phillip Fulmer, Battle's winning % of .731 was the best of any UT coach since General Neyland. Unfortunatley, Battle was only 1-5 against Alabama and 2-4 against Auburn. The program declined during his tenure from 11-1-0 in 1970 to 6-5-0 in 1976. The Vols failed to make it to a bowl in 1975 and 1976. Further, losses to Vanderbilt (1975) and to Kentucky (1976) caused UT followers and administration to seek another coach.

Old Coach

[RollBama]

Bill Battle, Johnny Majors and Ray Goff are coaching little league in my back yard

Well, Bill Battle's not doing so bad for himself now. He founded the Collegiate Licensing Company (http://www.clc.com/) which licenses the majority of university clothing, logo's etc for schools around the nation.

[john255]

vols will popbly win im sure

[john255]

if bama has to bet bear tenn will wir

[john255]

bill is a digrase

[john255]

that is a lie i hope it is

[Stoney]

Coach Battle was a well respected coach it just so happened that his competition included Bear Bryant. Some people unjustly ridicule him but considering he was under such pressure his record wasn't that bad. Tennesee fans wanted a Bear Bryant for themselves can't say I blame them. Now they have Fulmer are they going to repeat history and fire Fulmer for some young hotshot?