Former UA player Douglas Lockridge dies

VALLEY | Douglas L. Lockridge, who was a member of the last University of Alabama team to go to the Rose Bowl and later became one of the state’s most successful high school football coaches, has died. He was 79.

Lockridge, who was Valley High School’s football coach and athletic director for about 30 years, died Sunday at his home, the Valley Times-News in Lanett reported.

Lockridge had a 160-87-9 record with Valley, where he coached undefeated teams in 1950, 1959 and 1962, and led the Rams to state championships in 1959, 1962 and 1970.

Lockridge was named coach of the year five times and was president of the Alabama Coaches’ Association in 1967.

Before coaching at Valley, Lockridge earned an athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Alabama when he was 16 and played center and linebacker for the Crimson Tide. He was a freshman on the last Alabama team to play in the Rose Bowl in 1945 and played in the 1948 Sugar Bowl.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Lee Nealy Lockridge; a son and daughter.

The family will receive friends Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Valley. Graveside services are planned for Friday at 2 p.m. at Langdale Cemetery in Valley.