Former Tennessee football head coach Bill Battle, who led the Volunteers to five bowl games and three top-10 poll finishes from 1970-76, passed away at the age of 82 on Thanksgiving morning. William “Bill” Raines Battle III compiled a 55-22-2 record in seven seasons with four bowl victories.

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.