Former Gators’ AD
All-American Bill Carr
dies at age
78
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exclude the word “keyword”
1. Former Gators’ AD
2. All-American Bill Carr
3. dies at age
4. 78
5. exclude numbers
6. exclude the word “keyword”.
Florida Hall of Famer Bill Carr Passes Away at 78
GAINESVILLE — Florida Hall of Famer Bill Carr, a football All-American, Gators’ assistant coach, and athletic director at the school, has died at the age of 78. The cause of his death is not known at this time.
A Star on and off the Field
Bill Carr was born in Gainesville, the son of a Baptist minister, but was raised in Pensacola. He returned to attend the University of Florida, where he played as quarterback Steve Spurrier’s center and became a star in his own right. Carr earned All-SEC and All-America honors during Spurrier’s Heisman season.
Spurrier, who spoke with the Orlando Sentinel, described Carr as a “wonderful guy, wonderful friend, and a super Gator.” The two stayed close over the years, with Spurrier visiting Carr during his recent rehabilitation after a fall that had previously hospitalized him for several weeks.
Carr had a successful football career beyond college. He was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints in 1967 but served two years in the U.S. Army before joining the coaching staff at UF under Doug Dickey. Carr later transitioned to administration as an assistant to Gators AD Ray Graves.
In 1979, at the age of 33, Carr became the youngest athletic director in Division I when he replaced his former coach. He held this position until 1993 and then went on to serve as the athletic director at the University of Houston. After that, he became a consultant on various college campuses.
A Voice Against the Current Enterprise of College Athletics
Carr’s son, Scott, is currently the athletic director at Florida International University. Despite his deep ties to the world of college athletics, Bill Carr became increasingly disillusioned by its current state. In a conversation with the Orlando Sentinel in 2021, he expressed concerns about the impact and unintended consequences of name, image, and likeness legislation.
According to Carr, intercollegiate athletics should not be treated as a financial endeavor. He disagreed with the increasing commercialization of college sports and believed it went against the original purpose of the athletic experience. Carr felt that resources should have been used to provide lifetime health insurance for athletes, similar to what military-service people receive.
He also criticized the growing size of football staffs and budgets, stating that it had become more about investment than skill and effort. Carr believed that having an excessive number of people involved in the football program was unnecessary and wasteful.
A Legacy of Support and Impact
Despite his criticisms, Bill Carr remained a loyal supporter of the Gators. In 2015, at the age of 69, he had the honor of serving as the oldest “Honorary Mr. Two Bits” during UF’s season opener.
Carr’s impact extended beyond the football field. As Dickey’s academic supervisor, he played a significant role in supporting Black athletes and helped design the Equal Education Opportunity Program, which assisted minority freshmen and sophomores in their academic transition to college.
Bill Carr’s passing is a loss for the University of Florida and the college sports community as a whole. His contributions as a player, coach, and administrator will be remembered, and his opinions and insights will continue to shape discussions about the future of college athletics.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
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1. Former Gators’ AD, All-American Bill Carr dies at age
2. Former Gators’ AD, All-American Bill Carr passes away at age.
