Legendary Georgia football coach Vince Dooley dies at 90

Vince Dooley, the legendary Georgia head coach, has died. The program announced the news Friday ahead of the Bulldogs’ rivalry matchup with Florida in Jacksonville.

Dooley, 90, passed away Friday afternoon, according to a statement from Georgia Athletics. He was recently released from the hospital following a bout with COVID-19, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, and his daughter said he was doing “so much better.”

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A College Football Hall of Famer, Dooley is the winningest coach in Georgia program history, totaling 201 wins in 25 years as Bulldogs’ head coach from 1964-88. He also led them to six SEC championships and a national title in 1980 — Georgia’s last national championship before knocking off Alabama last season.

Dooley also served as Georgia’s athletic director from 1979-2004 and worked as a consultant at Kennesaw State when the university decided to start a football program in 2009. Before arriving in Athens, Dooley served as an assistant at his alma mater, Auburn, from 1956-63 and was even in talks to become the Tigers’ head coach after leading Georgia to the national title. Ultimately, he decided to stay in Athens.

Vince Dooley is an icon in SEC circles

The news that Vince Dooley was hospitalized rocked the SEC over the weekend, with many expressing their concern and well wishes for the former SEC head coach.

Dooley was a long-time Auburn assistant before taking the head coaching job at Georgia. He played quarterback for the Tigers from 1951-53 before serving as an assistant coach there until 1964.

He then took over the Georgia program, where he compiled a 201-77-10 record from 1964-88, winning one national championship and six SEC titles.

During his coaching career, Dooley amassed a record of 201-77-10 as the lead of the Bulldogs. In addition to his title that he brought to Athens, the legendary coach also brought six SEC titles, as well.

With a long, illustrious career that inspired millions, Dooley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

In addition to being the head coach of the Bulldogs until 1984, Dooley was also the Georgia Athletic Director from 1979 to 2004. Indisputably, he’s one of the most important people to ever come through Athens.

On3’s Steve Samra and Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.