Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart Gives Update on Vince Dooley
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ATHENS - Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart reacted to the news on Wednesday that former UGA coach Vince Dooley was headed home from the hospital.
“He's been tremendous,” Kirby said when asked about Dooley. "He's represented UGA for so long with such class. He's been internal in my success from the time I was a player to my time as a coach. I've kept in touch with him for a long time. He knew my wife when she played here. It is great to see him, and know that he cares so much about the program.”
UGA released a statement Wednesday confirming that Dooley had been hospitalized for several days with a “mild case of COVID”. The school said he made it back home on Monday.
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“I’m grateful for all the cards, text messages, emails, and calls as well as the prayers and concerns,” Dooley said in the statement. “But I’m ready to go Saturday with my regular book signing session at the UGA Bookstore and certainly the Homecoming game.”
Georgia faces Vanderbilt at 3:30 PM on the SEC Network.
Kirby and Dooley are the only two living UGA coaches who have won a national title. Dooley was on site when the No. 3 Bulldogs took out Nick Saban’s No. 1 Alabama in Indianapolis in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
41 years earlier, Dooley and the Dawgs beat Notre Dame in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl. The 17-10 win over the Irish was the program’s first national title since the 1940s. Dooley was UGA’s athletic director during Kirby Smart’s time as a player from 1994-1998.
The Bulldogs reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll over the weekend after a 42-10 blowout win over Auburn.
The Georgia Bulldogs WIN the 2021 NATIONAL TITLE!
