One of the most beloved officials -- there’s an oxymoron for you -- in college football passed away Friday, as the ACC announced the death of longtime official Doug Rhoads. He was 71.
Rhoads spent nearly three full decades in his zebra stripes for the ACC, working nearly 275 games and 10 bowl games as a back judge. In 2007 he became the conference’s coordinator of football officiating, modernizing the league’s officiating efforts. Rhoads also led officiating efforts for the Big South Conference and served on a number of national committees.
“The entire Atlantic Coast Conference is deeply saddened by the passing of Doug Rhoads,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. “Doug loved the ACC and was a great friend to me and so many others. His positive and upbeat demeanor, and his passion for what he did was contagious and an inspiration to many. We will all keep Denise and their entire family in our thoughts and prayers.”
After leaving the ACC, Rhoads served as a rules expert for ESPN and on our airwaves at NBC. Outside of football, Rhoads served as an FBI agent for a quarter century, a deputy chief of police and as vice president of MDB International. He is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.