Erskine

I usually like to keep my Dawgs of the Week as a surprise, but someone made this suggestion last week and I would be loathe to ignore it. There is no one more worthy of being the first Dawg of the Week for 2009, three years removed from his passing, than Erskine \"Erk\" Russell, the grandpappy of all Junkyard Dawgs.

Erk was our defensive coordinator from 1964-1981, and the resurrector, head coach and \"Bald Eagle\" of the Georgia Southern football program from 1982-1989. Five SEC titles, one D-1A National Championship, three D-1AA national titles and the only 15-0 season in D-1 history later, Erk Russell retired amidst a cloud of cigar smoke as the most successful college football coach of the 1980s.

Erk, like Vince Dooley, graduated from Auburn University, where he won 10 varsity letters. He still holds the distinction of being the final four-sport letterman in the history of The Plains. He also coached at Grady High in Atlanta in the 1950s before being called to Athens by friend Dooley. Here's a short list of his accomplishments:

* Coined the phrase \"Junkyard Dawgs\" to describe his mid-seventies defenses. In his own words, \"By our own definition, a Junkyard Dog is a dog completely dedicated to his task, that of defending his goal line. Further, he is very often a reject (from the offense) or the runt of the litter. Nobody wants him, and he is hungry. We had three walk-ons, four QBs, and three running backs in our original Junkyard Dog starting cast, which averaged 208 pounds across the front. In short, a Junkyard Dog is one who must stretch and strain all of his potential just to survive. Then he can think about being good.\"

* After seeing a Georgia Tech trainer wearing a sweatshirt that read \"G.T.A.A.\" (Georgia Tech Athletic Association), Erk had the idea to rearrange the letters to one of the most famous formations in all of college football, \"G.A.T.A.\" (Get After Their Asses).

* Held opponents to 17 or fewer points in an astonishing 135 of 192 games in his seventeen years as DC at Georgia. 74 of those 192 games featured single-digit scoring by the opposition, with a staggering 27 shutouts achieved. Erk Russell allowed 28 or more points just 18 times from 1964 to 1981.

* Resurrected a program that had lain dormant for forty years in Statesboro and laid the foundation for a Georgia Southern Eagles program that would win an unprecedented and unmatched six D-1AA/FCS national titles, three of which were won under his tutelage and one with all of his players the year after his retirement (1990).

I'll leave you with the infamous letter, sent before the first game against Tennessee in 1980 by Erk to his defense.

\"Gentlemen,

The football season of '80 will be my seventeenth as a Georgia Bulldog. During this time there have been many thrilling Saturdays of competition, each with its individual memories, because each game has its own personality. There are two Saturday traditions and experiences which have remained basically the same throughout the years for me and I would like to share them with you.

The first one concerns the RAILROAD TRACK CROWD. These are my people because they love the Dogs almost as much as I do. Oh, I know they do some crazy things- like turn over our opponents's buses sometimes and now and then they throw one another down the bank and into the street below. But they stamp out Kudzu and they pull for us to win and that ain't bad. If you can get off the bus to cheers of THE RAILROAD TRACK CROWD and walk down those steps to the dressing room and not be inspired to play football as best you possibly can, something important is missing beneath the Georgia jersey you wear. It is impossible not to be inspired. They choke me up! The season of 1980 will be the last for THE RAILROAD TRACK CROWD. A great Georgia tradition will have passed with the new addition to our stadium. The view from the tracks will be no more. Your team will be the last Georgia Team to be greeted and cheered by the RAILROAD TRACK CROWD. Wouldn't it be fitting if their last team was also the best Georgia Team ever. Think about it!

Another Saturday tradition which has meant so much to me over the years can be stated very simply. 'THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE BEING A BULLDOG ON SATURDAY NIGHT

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AFTER WINNING A FOOTBALL GAME.' I mean like whipping Tennessee's ass to start with, then ten more and then another one.

This is the game plan. We have no alternate plan.

Sincerely,

Erk Russell\"

Oh, since this is the first one, I'll lay down the rules: please share your fondest Erk Russell memories in this thread. No story is too small.

dapolla, I posted mine on another thread but will again. Mine's short and simple.

I remember Erk with blood running down his forehead and face after head butting his D players in the end zone during warm ups before we kicked UF's butts....... Same pictures in my head year after year with the same results, year after year (oh how I miss that!!!!)


BTW...great article....thanks, gave me chills.

They don't make men like Erk anymore these days. Erk was the man!

I have a photo, framed of my Grandfather that used to run the Gainesville Midland along those storied tracks. Gainesville to Athens and back. Being as I have been around for a while, I miss those tracks, understand that it is all about the money now.

Must say this, think that I have said it before. Was a bad day in UGA's history when Erk Russell was not asked to be the HEAD COACH of the Bulldogs. Never, ever, did Erk say anything detrimental about UGA, he was the absolute truth of what team football was and is about. Defense for the most part wins games, whether high school, college or pro. Might raise some feathers here, but without Erk Russell we would not be where we are now. Did well after he went to Statesboro, the record speaks for itself. Here is hoping that someday we will have another \"defensive coach\" of Erk's caliber. RIP Erk. Go Dawgs!