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Legendary Georgia Coach Vince Dooley Passes Away

October 28th, 2022

ATHENS-----Legendary former University of Georgia football coach and director of athletics Vince Dooley died peacefully at his home in the presence of his wife and their four children Friday afternoon at the age of 90. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, as well as the Georgia and Alabama Sports Halls of Fame, Dooley is Georgia’s winningest football coach with 201 victories, six SEC titles, and the 1980 national championship in his 25 years leading the Bulldogs (1964-88). He was also the recipient of numerous awards for his service as director of athletics over a 25 year tenure (1979-2004).

Head coach Kirby Smart said it was Sunday night when he felt like he received a sign that this was going to go the Bulldogs' way.

As he was headed to his room last night, Smart said the elevator doors opened, and there was Vince Dooley, the legendary head coach of that 1980 football team.

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Smart recalled that he felt like it was a sign from God, for Dooley happened to be there in the hallway, locked out of his room and waiting for a key.

Smart saw Dooley after the win, bringing him closely on the field, with the cameras picking up Smart saying "I love you" to the former Georgia Football coach.

Curated By

Maya Gupta
Investigative Journalist | Grassroots Movement Organizer | Economy Consultant/Speaker
Maya Gupta writes from the fault lines of a world that refuses to stay quiet. Focused on the collisions between culture, power, and accountability, her work cuts past polished narratives to expose what’s really moving beneath the surface. From the rise of creator-driven influence to athlete activism and grassroots resistance, she tracks the momentum shaping a generation unwilling to wait its turn. Her reporting doesn’t cater to comfort, it confronts it, challenging institutions that lean on legacy instead of legitimacy. With a voice rooted in urgency and a lens tuned to those often ignored, Maya delivers coverage that reflects the stakes as they are, not as they’re packaged. This is journalism that doesn’t just observe change, it stands in the middle of it, documenting the push, the backlash, and the undeniable shift underway.

Suggested Reading

Dooley's Dawgs: 25 Years of Winning Football at the University of Georgia

"Dooley's Dawgs: 25 Years of Winning Football at the University of Georgia" by Vince Dooley is a captivating memoir that chronicles the journey of the University of Georgia's football program under Dooley's leadership. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of Georgia football fro...

Dooley: My 40 Years at Georgia

Vince Dooley—the player, the coach, the administrator, the legend—is finally ready to tell his story. Georgia's prodigal son got his start on the rough end of Mobile, Alabama, where he used football as a springboard to an incredible life. After four decades, 201 wins, six SEC championships, and one ...

Vince Dooley's Tales from the 1980 Georgia Bulldogs

Even Moses could not have parted the red sea of fans who engulfed the Georgia Bulldogs football team after it clung tenaciously to 17-10 victory over Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl, capping a perfect season to win the school's first consensus national championship. Vince Dooley had the perfect vi...

Echoes of Georgia Football: The Greatest Stories Ever Told

With a proud tradition dating back to the 1890s, a worldwide following of devoted fans, a growing list of SEC titles, and five national championships, Georgia Bulldogs football is among the most elite institutions in sports. The illustrious program is one of the oldest, proudest, and most successful...

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