Cecil 'Hootie' Ingram passes away at age 90

WVUA 23’s Garry Harris reports that Alabama legend Cecil ‘Hootie’ Ingram passed away on Monday at the age of 90, a report confirmed by Ingram’s son following a successful playing, coaching, and administrative career by his father.

Ingram was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 following his accomplished career, also earning the Paul W. Bryant Alumni-Athlete Award, named a Second-Team defensive back on Alabama’s Team of the Century, and named to the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame after recording an interception and the a bowl record 80-yard punt return in the 1953 Orange Bowl.

Ingram was a Tuscaloosa native born and raised, attending Tuscaloosa High School where he was a standout football, baseball, and basketball player. Named an All-State halfback in his senior year before enrolling at Alabama in 1951 where he’d continue his football and baseball careers.

Ingram won three letters each in football and baseball with the Crimson Tide, but his exploits on the football field outweighed his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. Nicknamed the honorable thief in his sophomore season after intercepting 11 passes and returning two for touchdowns to earn a First-Team All-SEC selection. Going on to also play quarterback and halfback for the Crimson Tide in his career alongside Bart Starr.

In 1955 Ingram signed to play football professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles but quickly transitioned into coaching after not playing in any regular season games for Philadelphia. Making three separate stops as a high school coach (including at his alma mater) before breaking through to the college level in 1960. Joining the Wake Forest coaching staff as a defensive backs coach for the Demon Deacons.

After making assistant coaching stops at Virginia Tech, Georgia, and Arkansas Ingram would earn the first head coach job of his college coaching career. Named the head football coach at Clemson where he’d spend three seasons with a 12–21 overall record and introduce the trademark “tiger paw” logo. Resigning as head coach in 1972 ahead of his administration career.

For eight years Ingram worked for the SEC as the assistant commissioner of administration and the associate commissioner to H. Boyd McWhorter before becoming the athletic director at Florida State in January of 1981. Spending eight years with the Seminoles before serving in the same role for his alma mater Alabama. Hiring Gene Stallings as the head football coach who would lead the Crimson Tide to a 1992 national championship win. With Ingram stepping down from the role in 1995 and putting an end to a memorable career on and off the field.