Alexander, "Bill" William A.
Football
b. June 6, 1889, Mud River, KY
d. April 23, 1950
The first coach to take a team to all four major bowl games, Alexander was associated with Georgia Tech for more than 40 years. He played football and track at the school, graduating in 1912, was an assistant to John W. Heisman for seven years, and became head football coach in 1920, when Heisman left for the University of Pennsylvania.
From 1920 through 1928 Alexander's teams won 58 games, lost 17, and tied 7. The 1928 team won all ten of its games, was voted national champion, and beat California 8-7 in the Rose Bowl. However, Alexander came under fire for losing too many games during the next decade: From 1929 through 1938, Georgia Tech won only 36 of 99.
But Alexander took teams to three more bowl games in the next five years. Georgia Tech beat Missouri 21-17 in the 1940 Orange Bowl, lost to Texas 14-7 in the 1943 Cotton Bowl, and beat Tulsa 20-10 in the 1944 Sugar Bowl. The 1942 team had a 9-1-0 record, winning Alexander the Coach of the Year Award.
He retired from coaching after the 1944 season and served as athletic director until his death. Alexander had an overall record of 133-95-8.