Bama Central

College Football Legends Who Passed Away in 2024: Roll Call, Dec. 31, 2024

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Alabama athletics, including how to watch the Crimson Tide.

Hayden Kay

Former Alabama athletic directors Bill Battle and Cecil "Hootie" Ingram. | Images via @UA_Athletics on Twitter
Former Alabama athletic directors Bill Battle and Cecil "Hootie" Ingram. | Images via @UA_Athletics on Twitter / Images from @UA_Athletics on Twitter
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The National Football Foundation (NFF) and the College Football Hall of Fame paid a beautiful tribute to those who passed away in 2024 and "played a role in improving the game of college football for future generations." Amongst those who passed away, were three former Alabama athletic directors: Bill Battle, Cecil "Hootie" Ingram and Steve Sloan.

All three had extensive histories with the Crimson Tide, including as players. Sloan won two national championships in 1964 and 195 as a quarterback and played in the NFL for a couple of seasons before getting into coaching. He was Alabama's athletic director from 1987-89.

Ingram's 10 interceptions in 1962 still stand as an Alabama single-season record. Although primarily known as a defensive back, he also spent time at quarterback and halfback for the Crimson Tide.

Ingram returned to Tuscaloosa in 1989 to take on the role of athletic director. He had previously had a long coaching career with numerous programs and was the Florida State athletic director for eight years. He oversaw the Crimson Tide's 1992 national championship under Gene Stallings. He stepped down in 1995.

In 2013, Battle returned to Alabama as the athletic director, and was at the helm when Nick Saban won three of his national titles. Battle also won a national championship while playing for Alabama in 1961.

In Memoriam 2024


Art Baker
Head Football Coach
Furman, Citadel, East Carolina
Nov. 20, 1929 – Jan. 14, 2024

Carl Barzilauskas*
2005 NFF Chapter Leader Award Recipient
NFF Central Indiana Chapter
Mar. 19, 1951 – Dec. 20, 2023

Bill Battle*
2008 NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award
Head Football Coach (Tennessee)
Athletics Director (Alabama)
Dec. 8, 1941 – Nov. 28, 2024

 Terry Beasley*
2002 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Auburn
Feb. 5, 1950 – Jan. 31, 2024

Don Bosseler*
1990 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Miami (FL)
Jan 24, 1936 – Nov. 6, 2024

Bill Burgess
Head Football Coach
Jacksonville State
Jan. 26, 1941 – Dec. 13, 2023

Paul Cameron*
2024 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
UCLA
Aug. 17, 1932 – Dec. 22, 2023

Bill Carr
Athletics Director
Florida, Houston
Nov. 29, 1945 – Feb. 3, 2024

Bob Casciola*
Former NFF President
2004 NFF Distinguished American Award Recipient
Head Football Coach (Princeton, Connecticut)
Mar. 8, 1935 – Apr. 25, 2024

Archie Cooley
Head Football Coach
Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas–Pine Bluff, Norfolk State, Paul Quinn (TX)
Mar. 18, 1939 – Apr. 18, 20024

David M. Davis
NFF Trustee Emeritus
Pasadena Tournament of Roses President
Dec. 11, 1941 – Aug. 12, 2024

Gerry Faust
Head Football Coach
Notre Dame, Akron
May 21, 1935 – Nov. 11, 2024

Roman Gabriel*
1989 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
North Carolina State
Aug. 5, 1940 – Apr. 20, 2024

Claude Gilbert
Head Football Coach
San Diego State, San Jose State
July 10, 1932 – Jan. 6, 2024

Josie Harper
Athletics Director
Dartmouth
Mar. 5, 1943 – June 16, 2024

Bruce Hemphill
Athletics Director
McNeese State
Dec. 25, 1955 – Feb. 14, 2024

Cecil W. "Hootie" Ingram
Head Football Coach (Clemson)
Athletics Director (Florida State, Alabama)
Sept. 2, 1933 – May 6, 2024

Chip Kell*
2006 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Tennessee
Mar. 10, 1949 – May 25, 2024

Monte Kiffin
Head Football Coach
North Carolina State
Feb. 29, 1940 – July 11, 2024 

Steve Kragthorpe
Head Football Coach
Tulsa, Louisville
Apr. 28, 1965 – Aug. 4, 2024

Alex Kroll*
1997 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Rutgers
Nov. 23, 1937 – Dec. 17, 2024

Mike Lude*
2001 NFF John L. Toner Award Recipient
Athletics Director (Kent State, Washington, Auburn)
Head Football Coach (Colorado State)
Colorado State
June 30, 1922 – Mar. 14, 2024

Bob Marcum
Athletics Director
Kansas, Marshall, Massachusetts, South Carolina
Oct. 29, 1936 – July 23, 2024

Bill McColl*
1973 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Stanford
Apr. 2, 1930 – Dec. 28, 2023

Joe Miller*
2005 NFF Chapter Leader Award Recipient
NFF Richmond (VA) Chapter
Dec. 14, 1939 – Nov. 3, 2024

Chris Mortensen
Sports Reporter and Columnist
ESPN
Nov. 7, 1951 – Mar. 3, 2024

Doug Porter*
2008 College Football Hall of Fame Coach
Mississippi Valley State, Howard, Fort Valley State (GA)
Aug. 15, 1928 – June 5, 2024

Don Read
Head Football Coach
Oregon, Oregon Tech, Portland State, Montana
Dec. 15, 1933 – Jan. 3, 2024

Rogers Redding*
2010 NFF Outstanding Football Official Award Recipient
2019 NFF Legacy Award Recipient
National Coordinator of College Football Officiating (CFO)
Football Official (Southwest Conference, SEC)
July 15, 1942 – Apr. 7, 1942

Homer Rice*
2024 NFF Leadership Hall of Fame Inductee
Athletics Director (North Carolina, Rice, Georgia Tech)
Head Football Coach (Cincinnati, Rice)
Feb. 20, 1927 – June 10, 2024

John Robinson*
2009 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Head Football Coach
Southern California, UNLV
July 25, 1935 – Nov. 11, 2024 

Frank Ryan
Athletics Director
Yale
July 12, 1936 – Jan. 1, 2024

Joe Schmidt*
2000 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Pittsburgh
Jan. 19, 1932 – Sept. 11, 2024

O.J. Simpson*
1983 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Southern California
July 9, 1947 – Apr. 10, 2024

Steve Sloan
Head Football Coach
Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Mississippi, Duke
Aug. 19, 1944 – Apr. 14, 2024

Bob Tyler
Head Football Coach
Mississippi State, North Texas, Millsaps (MS)
July 4, 1932 – Apr. 28, 2024

Jerry Wampfler
Head Football Coach
Colorado State
Aug. 6, 1932 – Jan. 21, 2024

John "Jack" Weidenbach
Athletics Director
Michigan
March 31, 1924 – Feb. 17, 2024

George M. Weiss*
NFF Vice Chairman & Trustee Emeritus
2014 NFF Gold Medal Recipient
Oct. 10, 1941 – July 30, 2024

Larry Zimmer*
2009 NFF Chris Schenkel Award Recipient
Colorado
Nov. 13, 1935 – Jan. 20, 2024
* Asterisk denotes a College Football Hall of Fame inductee or NFF award recipient

Courtesy of the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Today’s Crimson Tide Schedule

Football: ReliaQuest Bowl, Alabama vs. Michigan in Tampa, Fla., 11 a.m. CT, ESPN

Crimson Tide Results

No results.

Did You Notice?

  • Former Alabama defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets. The former 47th overall pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Washington Commanders before being let go this past Saturday.
  • Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs had big games during the 40-34 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Gibbs accumulated 117 rushing yards and had touchdown. Williams scored two total touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground.
  • Williams and Gibbs' performances on Monday night helped achieve something that's never happened before as the Lions became the first team in NFL history to have two running backs (Gibbs paired with David Montgomery) and two wide receivers (Williams paired with Amon-Ra St. Brown) all top 1,000 scrimmage yards in a single season.

On This Date in Crimson Tide History:

December 31, 1973: In a colossal matchup of undefeated and top-ranked Alabama and unbeaten and No. 3 Notre Dame, the Crimson Tide fell 24-23 in the Sugar Bowl. A late fourth-quarter pass out of the end zone from Irish quarterback Tom Clements to reserve tight end Robin Weber got Notre Dame out of a hole and saved the night for the Irish.

December 31, 1975: In the first Sugar Bowl ever played in the Superdome, Alabama behind MVP Richard Todd edged Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions, 13-6. 

December 31, 2015: After getting bounced in the semifinals of the inaugural College Football Playoff the year before, a better-prepared and more focused Crimson Tide team crushed Michigan State, 38-0. It was the largest shutout in Cotton Bowl history. Jake Coker was 25-for-30 for a career-best 286 yards, with two touchdown passes to Calvin Ridley. 

Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

"One man doesn't make a team. It takes 11."

- Paul W. “Bear” Bryant

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Hayden Kay
HAYDEN KAY

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