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Longtime football coach Napier dies; diagnosed with ALS in 2013

Bill Napier, an icon of northwest Georgia high school football coaching for the past 25 years, has passed away at age 60.

Credit: Todd Holcomb

Credit: Todd Holcomb

Bill Napier, an icon of northwest Georgia high school football coaching for the past 25 years, has passed away at age 60.
By Todd Holcomb
Sept 27, 2017

Bill Napier, a popular football coach who made his mark at Murray County, Dalton and other northwest Georgia schools, died Tuesday. Napier, who had been diagnosed with ALS in 2013, was 60.

Napier was Murray County’s head coach from 1991 to 2006. His 94 wins there are the most in school history. He won region titles in 1992, 1996 and 1999. He also coached as an assistant at Southeast Whitfield, Adairsville and more recently at Dalton as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Napier's three sons followed him into coaching. Billy Napier is the offensive coordinator at Arizona State. He was Alabama's receivers coach the previous four seasons. Sons Matt and Kurt have been assistant high school coaches.

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