Bill Battle, who won a national championship as an Alabama football player and later served as the university’s athletics director after a successful business career, has passed away at the age of 82, according to a UA announcement on Thursday.
Battle, a native of Birmingham, played under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant from 1960 to 1962, starting for three years. Alabama claimed the national championship in 1961, and Battle was named to the UA all-decade team for the 1960s, earning first-team honors as a tight end and second-team as a defensive end.
“Coach Battle was a remarkable player and one of the top prospects in the South when he came to Alabama at a time when the program was struggling,” Paul Bryant Jr. said in a statement. “He started for Coach Bryant for three years, including during the national championship season. He pioneered the licensing industry that benefits the University and schools across the country. He was also a significant donor and returned from retirement to serve as Athletic Director when we needed him.”
A 2009 video from the Bryant Museum highlights Battle’s playing career at Alabama.
Bill Battle returned to the University of Alabama in 2013 to serve as athletics director, a role he held for four years. During his tenure, Alabama won three national championships, 10 SEC championships across five sports, and produced 15 individual national champions, among other accomplishments.
“Bill Battle was a first-class individual,” former Alabama football coach Nick Saban said. “He represented Alabama with exceptional character and integrity. He was an outstanding player, a successful coach, and a visionary who revolutionized college athletics. I got to know him best when he returned to lead Alabama’s athletics department. His leadership was a key factor in the Crimson Tide’s success, culminating in our 2015 national championship. Terry and I are deeply saddened by his passing and extend our condolences to his wife, Mary, and their entire family.”
Battle graduated from Alabama with a degree in biology in 1963 and earned his master’s degree from Oklahoma the following year. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson. He later became an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point, then moved on to Tennessee, where he was an assistant coach before becoming head coach in 1970 at just 29 years old. Battle led Tennessee for seven seasons, finishing with a 59-22-2 record, including four bowl victories in five appearances.
Reflecting on his time with Bryant, Battle said in a 2013 interview that working with Bryant at various stages of his life had a profound impact on him. Although their professional relationship remained competitive, especially on the field, they grew close later in life, discussing everything from football to business.
After his coaching career, Battle founded the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) in 1981, which he led for 21 years. Under his leadership, CLC became a dominant force in sports licensing, partnering with over 200 college athletic programs.
He succeeded Mal Moore as Alabama’s athletics director and served until 2017, when Greg Byrne took over. “It’s hard to describe just how much Coach Battle meant to The University of Alabama,” current athletics director Greg Byrne said. “He was a visionary and an incredible man, and I’m grateful for the friendship we had.”
Among his many honors, Battle received a lifetime achievement award from the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, and earned spots in other prestigious halls of fame. UA named its strength and conditioning complex the Bill Battle Athletic Performance Center in his honor.
“Bill Battle’s legacy at The University of Alabama is profound and enduring,” said UA president Stuart R. Bell. “His leadership and generosity elevated our institution, and his impact on countless students and colleagues will be felt for generations to come.”
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