The Georgia Bulldogs could be calling Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium their home for football games as soon as the 2019 season.
University of Georgia president Jere Morehead has forwarded a motion to the school's Board of Regents to name the field in honor of Dooley, who coached the Bulldogs to a 201-77-10 record from 1964 to 1988. Dooley also guided Georgia to six Southeastern Conference championships and the program's lone Associated Press national title, with that coming in the 1980 season.
Morehead's motion must be approved by the board, which meets May 14 in Atlanta.
"Coach Dooley's many contributions to this university can be seen across campus," Morehead said Thursday in a school release announcing the plans. "From Georgia athletics, where he achieved unrivaled success, to the learning environment, many academic programs and initiatives bear his name, such as the Dooley Library Endowment Fund to the Dooley Professorship in Horticulture.
"The university community will continue to benefit from his service and dedication for generations to come."
Georgia opens its 2019 season Aug. 31 at Vanderbilt before beginning its home schedule Sept. 7 against Murray State. An unveiling ceremony has been planned for the home opener, which will occur three days after Dooley's 87th birthday.
"I can think of no better way to open the 2019 home football schedule than dedicating Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium," Bulldogs athletic director Greg McGarity said in the release. "The event will be a moment for the entire Bulldog Nation to collectively say, 'Thank you,' to a man who has devoted much of his life to making the Georgia athletics program one of the strongest in the nation."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.