What he did: The better question is probably what Vince Dooley has not done. It would be hard to find someone who has had a busier and more diverse post-retirement life than the only University of Georgia coach to lead the Bulldogs to a modern-day football national championship.
From his vast gardens surrounding his home to the books he has authored to the many Civil War battlegrounds he has visited to the football program at Kennesaw State he has helped build from scratch, Dooley has hardly slowed at the age of 83 and he will always be one of UGA’s biggest treasures.
But it all started with football. He grew up in Mobile, where in high school, basketball was his favorite sport but it was football he would excel in at Auburn under coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan. In 1954, he played in the College All-Star Game in Chicago against the NFL Champion Detroit Lions before two years in the Marines and returning to Auburn as an assistant and coach of the freshman team. Then in 1963 at the age of 31, he was hired as the coach at Georgia. When the announcement was made to the media, the president (O.C. Aderhold) of the school forgot Dooley’s name, calling him “that fine young coach from Auburn’’ and he took over a program that had won just 10 games the previous three seasons under Johnny Griffith. His annual salary was $15,500 and his first game was a 31-3 beating at the hands of Alabama and Bear Bryant but he would go 7-3-1 his rookie season and get a win in the Sun Bowl. It was the first of 25 seasons in Athens and next year he would hand Alabama its only loss. He won 201 games at UGA, six SEC Championships (1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, and 1982) and had only one losing season (1977). He was 19-6 against Georgia Tech and 17-7-1 against Florida. But he will be remembered most for signing Herschel Walker and winning the national championship in 1980 in a season Georgia fans still very much cherish. Also, in 1979, he took on the role of athletic director, the beginning of building one of the top all-around sports programs in the country. During his time as AD, Georgia programs won 18 national championships and he established a strong financial base for the athletic department while also hiring Mark Richt. He also was key in bringing three Olympic sports (women’s soccer, rhythmic gymnastics and volleyball) to Athens in 1996 and served on Atlanta Olympic advisory committee. During his time as coach, there was a flirtation of going back and coaching at Auburn but he eventually turned it down (Pat Dye took the job) and there was also some talk about running for U.S. Senate. But he never left Athens. Dooley won numerous awards — National Coach of the Year twice (1980 and ’82), SEC Coach of the Year seven times and is in many different halls of fame including the Marines Corp Sports Hall of Fame. Dooley’s final year as coach was in 1988 and he remained as AD until 2004. There were some difficult times as well but Dooley has always landed on his feet and continues to be beloved in Athens and all over the state.
Where he lives: Dooley lives in Athens with his wife Barbara in the same house for more than four decades. They have been married for 51 years and have four children (Deanna, Daniel, Denise and Derek) and he likes to say a "football team" of 11 grandchildren, including nine boys. Derek followed in his father's football steps, currently an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys after being the coach at Louisiana Tech and Tennessee.
What he does now: Dooley can be seen attending classes at Georgia, working in his garden at home which he calls "his golf" and is an expert horticulturalist. He has written different books and subjects include gardening, football at Georgia and even a children's book called "How 'Bout Them Dawgs.'' He also consulted in the creation of the Kennesaw State football program.
On the game against Georgia Tech last Saturday: "There is no way it could ever be like when I was coaching on the sideline, but I went through a lot of different emotions watching it. I will say that it will change the rivalry. The reason is because we have dominated the series so much, it has been a bigger rivalry for Georgia Tech than us. But this victory for Tech will change that for Georgia."
On his retirement: "I really have enjoyed it. I am doing things like being the vice chair of the Georgia Historical Society and I am on a Civil War trust. Never been good at sitting around."
On his gardens: "Again, it is my golf and I truly believe it is good for the mind. There is a lot of studying involved and there are always new plants to learn about. And I feel gardening is good for the body and the soul."
On keeping up with his grandchildren: "Not easy. But what was really neat was I spent a lot of time with my first grandchild (Patrick), who is now 27. I took him to almost every civil war battleground and to Europe for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. We also have taken three big family trips and last year we went to Athens, Greece. The best trip we took was when we were on a cruise because once they got on the boat the kids couldn't go anywhere."
On his love of history: "I think it goes back to the days when I was young and Pearl Harbor was bombed. I kept listening to the radio about it. I love the Civil War because it was the greatest crisis this country has every faced. I am also working on a book with someone about a Confederate cavalry officer."
On his favorite Civil War general: "I like (Robert E.) Lee the most; not only was he great general and tactician but a very insightful person and had a good vision on the political aspects of the times. I also like learning about the southern demigods like Huey Long, Big Jim Folsom, Pitchfork Ben Tillman and Eugene Talmadge."
On the SEC West this season: "The only problem is somebody had to lose like Mississippi which lost two straight but was good enough to come back to beat the team (Mississippi State) soundly that was No. 1 for a few weeks. Arkansas came close to beating Alabama, shut out Ole Miss and then got beat by Missouri. You have to wonder if a team like Kentucky was in another league how they would do."
On the criticism of Richt: "It's the reality of the situation. Even in my time while there wasn't social media, we still had the paper and radio talk shows. Regardless of the situation, a coach has to be totally focused and have the ability to blank all that out. If not, you really can't do your job. I was able to do that. Now I can see it from a different perspective. But I wouldn't shut off the criticism completely. If I read or heard about a good idea, I would be open to it. Mark will be just fine."
On the growth of UGA: "I am very proud of it and feel I was very much part of it for 50 years. I just had my 50th anniversary and reunion of the first team in '64. The Hope Scholarship has been the biggest boost and there is always a downside and now so many good students who can't get in. But the school has blossomed.''
On his wife Barbara: "I will just say she is tough to get a date with because she is so busy.''
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