Bill Battle III, who was athletic director at his alma mater, Alabama, where he played for Paul “Bear” Bryant's first national championship team, then later coached the Tennessee Volunteers and founded the Collegiate Licensing Company,

Bill Battle, who won a national championship as an Alabama football player and later became UA’s athletics director after a highly successful turn in the business world, has died, UA announced Thursday. He was 82.

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.

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.

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.