Former JSU football coach Bill Burgess dies at 82, cause of death unknown

The death of former Jacksonville State football coach Bill Burgess at the age of 82 was confirmed by his son, Rick Burgess, and the university on Wednesday.

Burgess had taken on the role of head coach at Jacksonville State in 1985, serving there until his retirement in 1996. The football field at JSU Stadium was named in his honor in 2010, previously known as Paul Snow Stadium.

Burgess' coaching career began at Banks High School, where he worked as an assistant coach. Five years later, at the age of just 25, he accepted the head coaching position at Woodlawn High School.

In 1985, he was offered the chance to coach at Jacksonville State University.

Burgess was a staunch advocate of an old-school fundamentalist approach to the game.

“No matter the technique, training tools or program, football will always be a fundamental game," Burgess said. "Make the blocks on offense, tackle on defense. It never changes.”

His teams were known for their gritty, hard-hitting playing style. Throughout his tenure at JSU, Burgess coached 64 All-Gulf Coast Conference players and nine All-Americans.

The Alabama Football Coaches Association awarded Bill Burgess the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.

The cause of his death has not been made public.

The public memorial of Bill Burgess will be broadcast live on the YouTube Channel

According to a statement made by Burgess' son, Rick, Burgess was a "Husband, Dad, and Pop" before he was a coach, and coaching was simply his profession.

“To many he is coach, but to his family is Husband, Dad and Pop,” Rick Burgess wrote via Instagram. “Coaching was his profession but it was not his identity.”

“God has been so gracious to me in so many ways. I will always be grateful that my heavenly Father gave me an earthy father like Bill Burgess. Truly one of a kind.”

Under Burgess' leadership, Jacksonville State won 84 games and four GSC championships, culminating in the 1992 Division II national championship.

Reportedly, a public memorial service for Burgess will take place at Valleydale Church on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

The event will also be broadcast live on Valleydale’s YouTube channel to ensure it is accessible to a broader audience.