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William Alexander "Bill" Curry (born October 21, 1942 in College Park, Georgia) is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head coach at Georgia State University, which begins competing in college football in 2010. Curry also formerly worked as a football analyst for ESPN and as the director of the Leadership Baylor program at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Previously, Curry served as the head football coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology (1980–1986), the University of Alabama (1987–1989), and the University of Kentucky (1990–1996). He played football at Georgia Tech (1962–1964) and then played for ten seasons in the National Football League with four different teams: the Green Bay Packers (1965–1966), the Baltimore Colts (1967–1972), the Houston Oilers (1973), and the Los Angeles Rams (1974).

Playing career

A 1965 graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in industrial management, Curry starred at center for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1962 to 1964. Curry played professional football in the NFL from 1965 to 1974 with the Green Bay Packers, the Baltimore Colts, the Houston Oilers, and the Los Angeles Rams. He was a Pro Bowl center with the Colts in 1971 and 1972. Curry was the starting center in three Super Bowls, for the Packers in Super Bowl I and for the Colts in Super Bowl III and Super Bowl V.

Coaching career

Prior to his first head coaching assignment, Curry served as an assistant at Georgia Tech in 1976 and then for three seasons in the NFL (1977–1979) as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

Curry returned to Georgia Tech in 1980 as head football coach. While it has been reported that Curry's first head coaching decision was to dismiss the quarterbacks coach, Steve Spurrier, he denies this. Curry said, "I never fired Steve. Georgia Tech fired the [Pepper Rodgers] staff before I got there. Then while I was deliberating who from that staff to retain, Steve took the Duke [assistant’s] job."^{[citation needed]} Curry led his team to a 9–2–1 record in 1985 and a win in the All-American Bowl. For his efforts, he was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1985 by the Associated Press and the Atlantic Coast Conference media. Curry posted an 34–43–4 record over seven years at his alma mater, including winning seasons in 1982 (6–5), 1984 (6–4–1), and 1985.

Curry then accepted a job as head coach at the University of Alabama. There he posted a record of 26–10, won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in 1989, and made three bowl appearances during his three-year tenure. In September 1988, he refused to fly his Alabama team to play Texas A&M because of fears that Hurricane Gilbert would harm his players. The hurricane never reached Texas A&M at College Station, Texas, and Aggies coach Jackie Sherrill claimed Curry used the threat of weather as an excuse because his quarterback was injured.^{[citation needed]} The game was rescheduled for December 1, when Alabama routed A&M, 30–10. Curry also suspended Alabama quarterback Jeff Dunn for breaking team rules prior to the 1988 Sun Bowl against Army.

After posting a 10–1 regular season record, Curry's 1989 Crimson Tide squad shared the SEC title with Auburn and Tennessee, and earned the berth in the 1990 Sugar Bowl, where they lost to the Miami Hurricanes, 33–25.^[1] Curry was honored in 1989 as the SEC Coach of the Year and received the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.

Curry's three-year record of 26–10 gave him the highest winning percentage among Alabama coaches since Bear Bryant.^[2] However, Curry had an 0–3 record against Alabama's arch-rival Auburn, and never once beat the Tigers in the twelve games he coached against them over his career. Perhaps his best-remembered on-field act with Alabama came during the 1990 Sugar Bowl, when he castigated receiver Prince Wimbley for celebrating a first down against Miami with a dance. Curry called Wimbley to the sideline, grabbed him by the jersey, and lectured him. As ABC game cameras showed, Wimbley turned away and Curry grabbed his face mask and brought him into eye-to-eye contact.^{[citation needed]}

After failing to beat in-state rival Auburn for the third straight year, Curry received a new contract offer from Alabama in early 1990 which contained provisions he disliked, including no raise and removal of his power to hire and fire assistants.^[3] Curry soon resigned from Alabama and accepted a position as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky. In 1993, Curry's Wildcat squad posted a 6–5 regular season record and earned a spot in the Peach Bowl, Kentucky's first bowl game in nine years. The Wildcats lost that game to Clemson, 14–13. Curry never achieved a record better than 6–6 at Kentucky. The Wildcats posted six losing records in his seven years at Lexington, including a one-win season in 1994. Curry was asked to step down after the 1996 season and was succeeded by Hal Mumme.

On June 11, 2008, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Curry had been chosen as Georgia State University's first head football coach.^[4] The Georgia State Panthers will play their first season in 2010, competing in the Colonial Athletic Association at the D-I Football Championship Subdivision level. The Panthers will play play their home games at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Curry's first class of players was recruited in 2009 for practice. His 2010 squad will also include transfers from Football Bowl Subdivision programs that are exempt from sitting out a season if they drop down to FCS play.

Honors

Bill Curry is a member of the state of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the American Football Coaches Association Ethics Committee.^{[citation needed]}

Outside of football

Curry has spoken for the John H. Daniel Company, a company that manufactures custom made suits.^{[citation needed]} In 2006, Bill Curry accepted a position at Baylor School as head of its leadership program.^{[citation needed]}

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches^#	AP^°
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Independent) (1980–1982)
1980	Georgia Tech	1–9–1
1981	Georgia Tech	1–10
1982	Georgia Tech	6–5
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1983–1986)
1983	Georgia Tech	3–8	3–2	3rd
1984	Georgia Tech	6–4–1	2–2–1	5th
1985	Georgia Tech	9–2–1	5–1	2nd	W All-American	18	19
1986	Georgia Tech	5–5–1	3–3	4th
Georgia Tech:		31–43–4	13–8–1
Alabama Crimson Tide (Southeastern Conference) (1987–1989)
1987	Alabama	7–5	4–2	4th	L Hall of Fame
1988	Alabama	9–3	4–3	4th	W Sun	17	17
1989	Alabama	10–2	6–1	T–1st	L Sugar	7	9
Alabama:		26–10	14–6
Kentucky Wildcats (Southeastern Conference) (1990–1996)
1990	Kentucky	4–7	3–4	6th
1991	Kentucky	3–8	0–7	10th
1992	Kentucky	4–7	2–6	5th (East)
1993	Kentucky	6–6	4–4	3rd (East)	L Peach
1994	Kentucky	1–10	0–8	6th (East)
1995	Kentucky	4–7	2–6	5th (East)
1996	Kentucky	4–7	3–5	4th (East)
Kentucky:		26–52	14–40
Georgia State Panthers (Colonial Athletic Association) (2010–present)
2010	Georgia State	0–0	0–0
Georgia State:		0–0	0–0
Total:		83–105–4
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
^†Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. ^#Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ^°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

^ "2006 Alabama Football Media Guide, Published by Ebsco Industries, Birmingham, AL, Page 200" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateaccess= ignored (help)
^ "SI.com, Copyright © 2003 CNN/Sports Illustrated". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateaccess= ignored (help)
^ "The Uncivil War: Alabama vs. Auburn 1981-1994, Published by Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN, Chapter 8" (NA). Retrieved 2006-12-03.
^ Georgia State hires Bill Curry as first coach | ajc.com

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by John Mackey	NFLPA President 1973 – May 31, 1975	Succeeded by Kermit Alexander
Preceded by Pepper Rodgers	Georgia Institute of Technology Head Football Coach 1980–1986	Succeeded by Bobby Ross
Preceded by Ray Perkins	University of Alabama Head Football Coach 1987–1989	Succeeded by Gene Stallings
Preceded by Jerry Claiborne	University of Kentucky Head Football Coach 1990–1996	Succeeded by Hal Mumme
Preceded by Program created	Georgia State University Head Football Coach 2010–present	Succeeded by Incumbent

[2006_University_of_Alabama_Football_Media_Guide-1] "2006 Alabama Football Media Guide, Published by Ebsco Industries, Birmingham, AL, Page 200" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateaccess= ignored (help)

[SI.com-2] "SI.com, Copyright © 2003 CNN/Sports Illustrated". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dateaccess= ignored (help)

[The_Uncivil_War:_Alabama_vs._Auburn_1981-1994-3] "The Uncivil War: Alabama vs. Auburn 1981-1994, Published by Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN, Chapter 8" (NA). Retrieved 2006-12-03.

[4] Georgia State hires Bill Curry as first coach | ajc.com

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 ==Playing career==
-A 1965 graduate from the [[Georgia Institute of Technology]] with a degree in industrial management, Curry starred at a [[Center (American football)|center]] for the [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football]] team from 1962 to 1964.  Curry played professional football in the [[National Football League|NFL]] from 1965 to 1974 with the [[Green Bay Packers]], the [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]], the [[Houston Oilers]], and the [[Los Angeles Rams]].  He was a [[Pro Bowl]] center with the Colts in 1971 and 1972.  Curry was the starting center in three [[Super Bowl]]s, for the Packers in [[Super Bowl I]] and for the Colts in [[Super Bowl III]] and [[Super Bowl V]].
+A 1965 graduate from the [[Georgia Institute of Technology]] with a degree in industrial management, Curry starred at [[Center (American football)|center]] for the [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football]] team from 1962 to 1964.  Curry played professional football in the [[National Football League|NFL]] from 1965 to 1974 with the [[Green Bay Packers]], the [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]], the [[Houston Oilers]], and the [[Los Angeles Rams]].  He was a [[Pro Bowl]] center with the Colts in 1971 and 1972.  Curry was the starting center in three [[Super Bowl]]s, for the Packers in [[Super Bowl I]] and for the Colts in [[Super Bowl III]] and [[Super Bowl V]].
 ==Coaching career==

v t e Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I champions
5 Paul Hornung 12 Zeke Bratkowski 15 Bart Starr (MVP) 21 Bob Jeter 22 Elijah Pitts 24 Willie Wood 26 Herb Adderley 27 Red Mack 31 Jim Taylor 33 Jim Grabowski 34 Don Chandler 37 Phil Vandersea 40 Tom Brown 43 Doug Hart 44 Donny Anderson 45 Dave Hathcock 50 Bill Curry 56 Tommy Joe Crutcher 57 Ken Bowman 60 Lee Roy Caffey 63 Fred Thurston 64 Jerry Kramer 66 Ray Nitschke 68 Gale Gillingham 72 Steve Wright 73 Jim Weatherwax 74 Henry Jordan 75 Forrest Gregg 76 Bob Skoronski 77 Ron Kostelnik 78 Bob Brown 80 Bob Long 81 Marv Fleming 82 Lionel Aldridge 83 Allen Brown 84 Carroll Dale 85 Max McGee 86 Boyd Dowler 87 Willie Davis 88 Bill Anderson 89 Dave Robinson
Head coach: Vince Lombardi
Coaches: Phil Bengtson Jerry Burns Red Cochran Dave Hanner Bob Schnelker Ray Wietecha

v t e Baltimore Colts Super Bowl V champions
15 Earl Morrall 17 Sam Havrilak 19 Johnny Unitas 20 Jerry Logan 21 Rick Volk 25 Tom Curtis 27 Ray Perkins 28 Jimmy Orr 30 Ron Gardin 32 Mike Curtis 33 Eddie Hinton 34 Tom Nowatzke 35 Jim Duncan 36 Norm Bulaich 40 Jack Maitland 41 Tom Matte 42 Tom Maxwell 45 Jerry Hill 47 Charles Stukes 49 David Lee 50 Bill Curry 51 Bob Grant 52 Robbie Nichols 54 Tom Goode 56 Ray May 60 George Wright 61 Cornelius Johnson 62 Glenn Ressler 68 Dennis Nelson 71 Dan Sullivan 72 Bob Vogel 73 Sam Ball 74 Billy Ray Smith 75 John Williams 76 Fred Miller 78 Bubba Smith 79 Jim Bailey 80 Jim O'Brien 81 Billy Newsome 83 Ted Hendricks 84 Tom Mitchell 85 Roy Hilton 87 Roy Jefferson 88 John Mackey
Head coach: Don McCafferty
Coaches: Dick Bielski Bobby Boyd Hank Bullough John Idzik Lou Rymkus John Sandusky