William “Bill” Raines Battle III, former director of athletics and student-athlete at The University of Alabama, collegiate football coach and founder of Collegiate Licensing Company, has passed away at the age of 82.

Bill Battle, who won national championships as an Alabama football player and later became UA’s athletics director, has died, UA announced Thursday. He was 82.

Alabama A&M university mistakenly announced the death of one of its football players – before backtracking and confirming that he is very much still alive. The school’s athletics team wrongly declared on Wednesday that Medrick Burnett Jr, 20, had died weeks after he was seriously injured during a game.

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.

Bill Battle, who was a former Alabama football player and athletic director died Thursday at the age of 82. Battle attended Alabama on a football scholarship and was a three-year starter under Paul “Bear” Bryant from 1960-62.

Bill Battle, former director of athletics for the University of Alabama and a legendary figure in college athletics, has passed away at the age of 82.