DAPHNE – Former University of Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley is still calling some important plays. But these days many of the X’s and O’s are more about hugs and kisses than gridiron fundamentals.

The Mobile native and his wife Barbara who now call Athens, Ga., home are coming to Daphne Feb. 5 to help Mercy Medical raise funds for the hospital’s pediatric home-care patients and other patients in need of charity care.

Tackling the ever-present need for home-healthcare availability for children is a high priority he said while driving home from a coaching conference in Tennessee.

“It’s a great cause. Barbara and I are enthusiastic about this,” he said.

"It’s also a great combination for us to get to come back and visit — she has a brother in Mobile, I have a sister there. I grew up downtown and we get nostalgic whenever we think about the Mobile and Baldwin area. And to be able to combine a visit with a really good cause makes it even more special."

The Eastern Shore is also dear to the couple’s heart around Valentine’s Day because the first night of their honeymoon was spent in Spanish Fort at the top of the hill. “We also spent a couple of nights at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear before we ran out of money,” he said with a laugh.

The event “Denim & the Dooleys” is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff at the Daphne Civic Center at Whispering Pines Road and Hwy. 98.

The Dooleys are the featured speakers and the dress-casual evening includes a tailgate menu and a silent auction.

The coach has an abundance of stories to tell and his memoir, 'Dooley: My 40 Years At Georgia', will be available for signing at this year’s event.

Barbara Dooley, who grew up in the Birmingham area, will present her own brand of humor in and out of the huddle with from her perspective as a football coach's wife.

For tickets, reservations or more information, call 621-4884 or visit www.mercymedical.com/Dooleys. Mercy Medical is also looking for volunteers at this year’s event. Anyone interested in volunteering at the Denim & the Dooleys may also call 621-4884. Seating is limited.

The McGill Institute and Auburn grad who went on to coach the Bulldogs to a national title and six SEC championships will also be signing copies of his book, “Vince Dooley: Beyond Football.”