Prior to ESPN, Bill Curry spent 17 years (1980-96) as a head coach in the college ranks, accumulating a 79-98-4 record at Georgia Tech (1980-86), Alabama (1987-89) and Kentucky (1990-96). In 1989, Curry led Alabama to the SEC title. He also was the recipient of numerous honors, including ACC Coach of the Year (1985), SEC Coach of the Year (1987 and 1989), and the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year (1989).

Prior to his first head coaching assignment, Curry spent three seasons in the NFL (1977-79) as an assistant coach to Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers. Curry played pro football from 1965 to 1974 with the Green Bay Packers (under the legendary Vince Lombardi), Houston Oilers, Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams, and was an All-Pro center with the Colts in 1971 and 1972. A 1965 Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in industrial management, Curry also starred for the Yellow Jackets football squad from 1963-64.

Bill Curry is the former Chief Operating Officer of the National Consortium for Academic and Sports (NCAS) and continues to serve on their executive committee. Created by Richard Lapchick's Center for the Study of Sports in Society at Northeastern University, the NCAS's member schools (currently more than 160) agree to bring back former athletes of revenue-producing sports to complete their degrees at no cost. In turn, the former athletes participate in outreach and community services programs. To date, more than 13,000 athletes have returned to finish their degrees. The NCAS is based at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.