Bill Battle III, who was athletic director at his alma mater, Alabama, where he played for Paul “Bear” Bryant’s first national championship team, coached the Tennessee Volunteers and also founded the Collegiate Licensing Company,

Bill Battle, a former football coach at Tennessee, has died. The University of Alabama, where he played football and later would serve as athletic director, made the announcement Thursday. He was 82. Battle was the coach of the Vols from 1970-76, going 59-22-2 with five bowl appearances in seven seasons.

Former Director of Athletics and student-athlete at the University of Alabama has passed away, according to the university.