Bill Carr, former Florida football All-American and AD, dies at 78

Bill Carr, a former Florida football All-American who went on to become UF's athletic director during a transformative era for Gator athletics, died late Saturday at 78.

UF announced Carr's passing on a social media post on Sunday.

Carr was an All-American center for quarterback Steve Spurrier during his Heisman winning season in 1966, a year in which the Florida Gators went 9-2 and beat Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. The two were also roommates and remained close friends until Carr's death.

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"His teammates called him Willie C and he loved his school and everyone around him," Spurrier said. "We loved him back and all of us have so many wonderful memories of Bill."

Carr was a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 NFL Draft, but after a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, went on to begin his coaching and administrative career. He coached for three seasons as an assistant under Doug Dickey (1972-74) before moving on to administration as an assistant athletic director under Ray Graves.

Bill Carr elevated to UF athletic director

When Graves left UF in 1979 to work as a consultant for George Steinbrenner, Carr succeeded him as athletic director, becoming the youngest AD in the country at the time at 33.

Carr oversaw the completion of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Built in 1980, the arena remains the multi-purpose home to Florida men's and women's basketball, gymnastics and volleyball.

UF's football program, under Charley Pell, went to four straight bowl games from 1980 and 1984 before NCAA violations under Pell stripped the school of the 1984 SEC championship. It was a rocky period, but Carr guided the athletic department with a steady hand through it.

Former Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley worked under Carr before eventually becoming UF's AD from 1992-2016.

“Bill’s fingerprints are all over the foundation of this program,” Foley said in a statement.  “I have a front-row seat to witness his impact and vision. He was one of my first mentors. I was so blessed to be on his staff.”

Carr remained AD at Florida until 1987, when he was succeeded by Bill Arnsparger. Under Carr, Florida athletic programs won national championships in women's gymnastics (1982) men's swimming and diving (1983,1984), women's swimming and diving (1979, 1982) and women's golf (1985, 1986).

From 1993-97, Carr was the athletic director at Houston, then went on to become an athletic department consultant. His son, Scott Carr, is the athletic director at FIU.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Former Florida Gators athletic director Bill Carr dies at 78