Bill Curry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bill Curry (born October 21, 1942) is a former NFL football player and NCAA football coach. He currently works as a football analyst for ESPN and the director of the Leadership Baylor program at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is noted for his insightful, compassionate color commentary, and for his knowledge of offensive line play.

Contents 1 Player 2 Coach 3 Notable actions 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Player

A 1965 Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in industrial management, Curry also starred as an offensive center for the Yellow Jackets football team from 1963 to 1964.^{[citation needed]}

Curry played pro football from 1965 to '74 with the Green Bay Packers (under the legendary Vince Lombardi), Houston Oilers, Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams, and was an all-pro center with the Colts in 1971 and '72.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Coach

Prior to his first head coaching assignment, Curry spent three seasons in the NFL (1977-79) as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

Curry returned to Georgia Tech in 1980 as its head football Coach. His first head coaching decision was to dismiss the quarterbacks coach, Steve Spurrier. During his tenure at Georgia Tech, Curry led his team to a 9-2-1 record in 1985 and a win in the All-American Bowl. For his efforts, Bill Curry was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1985 by the Associated Press and the ACC Sports Writers. Curry posted an overall 34-43-4 record over seven years at his alma mater, including winning seasons in 1982 (6-5), 1984 (6-4-1) and 1985.

Bill Curry then accepted a job as head coach at the University of Alabama. Curry posted a record of 26-10, including one SEC Championship, and three bowl appearances during his three-year tenure. After posting a 10-1 regular season record, his 1989 Crimson Tide squad shared the Southeastern Conference title with Auburn and Tennessee, and earned the berth in the 1990 USF&G Sugar Bowl^[1] where they lost to the University of Miami. As a result the 1989 season, Bill Curry was honored as the SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. He was also the recipient of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. Curry's three-year record of 26-10-0 gave him the highest winning percentage among Alabama coaches since Bear Bryant.^[2] However, Curry had an 0-3 record against Alabama's arch-rival Auburn University, and never once beat the Tigers in the twelve games he coached against them over his career.

After receiving a new contract offer from Alabama in early 1990 which contained clauses he disliked ^[3] (no raise and removal of the power to hire and fire assistants), Curry resigned and accepted a job as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky. In 1993, Curry's Wildcat squad posted a 6-5 regular season record and earned a spot in the Peach Bowl, which was Kentucky's first bowl game in nine years. The Wildcats lost that game to Clemson, 14-13.

Curry never achieved a record better than 6-6 at Kentucky (1993). The Wildcats posted six losing records in his seven years at Lexington, including a one-win season in 1994. Curry was fired midway through the 1996 season (4-7) and succeeded by Hal Mumme.

He is a member of the state of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He was a member of the American Football Coaches Association Ethics Committee.

[edit] Notable actions

In 1985, he suspended seven starting players on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team that played in the Hall of Fame Bowl when they broke curfew. In September 1988, he refused to fly his Alabama team to play Texas A&M because of fears that Hurricane Gilbert would harm his players. The hurricane never reached College Station, Texas, and Jackie Sherrill gave the media an earful as he claimed Curry didn't come because his quarterback was injured. The game was rescheduled for December 1, 1988, and Alabama routed A & M, 30-10. He also suspended Alabama quarterback Jeff Dunn for breaking team rules prior to the 1988 Sun Bowl against Army. Perhaps his best-remembered on-field act with Alabama came during the 1990 Sugar Bowl when he castigated receiver Prince Wimbley for celebrating a first down against Miami with a dance. Curry lectured Wimbley and when Wimbley turned away, Curry grabbed Wimbley's face mask and brought him into eye-to-eye contact.

He is a member of the state of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He was a member of the American Football Coaches Association Ethics Committee.

In 2006, Bill Curry accepted a position at Baylor School as head of their leadership program.

Preceded by Pepper Rodgers	Georgia Tech Head Football Coach 1980– 1986	Succeeded by Bobby Ross
Preceded by Ray Perkins	University of Alabama Head Football Coach 1987–1989	Succeeded by Gene Stallings
Preceded by Jerry Claiborne	University of Kentucky Head Football Coach 1990–1996	Succeeded by Hal Mumme

[edit] References

1. ^ 2006 Alabama Football Media Guide, Published by Ebsco Industries, Birmingham, AL, Page 200 (PDF).
2. ^ SI.com, Copyright © 2003 CNN/Sports Illustrated. (html).
3. ^ The Uncivil War: Alabama vs. Auburn 1981-1994, Published by Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN, Chapter 8 (NA).

[edit] External links

• Ramblinwreck.com profile
• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
• 2006 University of Alabama Football Media Guide