STATESBORO, Ga. ? Frank Inman, former color commentary voice for the Georgia Southern Football radio broadcasts, passed away at hospice Monday night (Nov. 3). He was 85.

Inman, who had been living in St. Simons Island, served as the color commentary voice on Eagle Football broadcasts from 1983 through 2005. He worked in the booth during all six of the Eagles' NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision National Championship victories and two additional title game appearances. He missed only one broadcast in the 23 years of calling Georgia Southern games, spanning 301 broadcasts.

He was the Glynn schools' athletic director from 1979 to 1986 and was instrumental in the construction of Glynn County Stadium as well as the installation of lights at Edo Miller Park. He was also the executive director of the Sea Island Company Golden Isles Bowl Classic from its inception in 1996 through 2007 and director of the Georgia High School Association's highest classification state golf tournament, held each spring on Jekyll Island.

Inman joined the University of Georgia Football staff in 1962 as recruiting director and varsity assistant backfield coach.  He was promoted to head offensive backfield coach in 1963.  During his 15 seasons on head coach Vince Dooley's staff (1964-79), he served as head scout and end coach, offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and director of football recruiting. Inman also worked with then-UGA assistant coach Erk Russell, who would eventually become the head coach at Georgia Southern when the Eagles began playing football again in 1982.

A native of Augusta and alumnus of Presbyterian College, he served three years in the Marine Corps during World War II.  He returned to play fullback at Duke University where he also earned his Masters in Education degree in 1946. 

In 1947, he became backfield coach at his alma mater, Richmond Academy (now the Academy of Richmond County) in Augusta.  He later became head coach (as well as serving as Athletics Director) and led his team to a state AAA championship in 1956. His teams in the 1956-57 school year won the state championship in: football, baseball, golf and track, and the tennis team was runner-up. For his accomplishments, he was named the Georgia High School Coach of the Year. 

During his time as head coach of the football program, coach Inman sent 22 players to Division I colleges on scholarships with nine players on the 1961 team receiving full grant-in-aids, a Georgia record at the time.

“This is a real sad day for Georgia Southern,” said Director of Athletics Sam Baker. “With his work on the Georgia Southern radio network broadcasts Frank Inman became well known to all Eagle football fans. We lost a true Eagle last night (Monday).”

Other reports from UGA Sports Communications and The Brunswick News used in this story.