Words of Wisdom

In 1982 after a 41-year hiatus, Georgia Southern returned to the gridiron led by long-time Georgia Bulldog defensive coordinator Erk Russell. In what has been described as the Miracle of Beautiful Eagle Creek, Russell took a start-up program to a NCAA I-AA national championship only in his fourth year, and led the Eagles to the playoffs five-straight seasons, three more title tilts, and won two more national championships. In his eight seasons, Russell was 83-22-1. More importantly, Erk set the standard for new programs and Statesboro has become a place of pilgrimage for coaches starting programs from the ground up.

As hard as it may seem to believe, Russells record at GSU and his accomplishments at UGA, may pale in comparison to his status as one of the legendary storytellers in all of football history. Whether it is the yarns about his junkyard dawgs or memories of his now-famous GATA speech (against Georgia Tech one year at the half he saw a GTAA sign that stood for Georgia Tech Athletic Association, and rearranged the letters and told his troops it stood for get after their asses and do that in the second half.), Erk is beloved by football coaches as a mans man and a coachs coach.

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"As you practice, so shall you play." - A placard that hung in Russells locker for over 25 seasons.

"My folks didnt give me just a few cards from which to draw. They gave me a whole deck. Everything was there that I needed. When I screwed it up, it was my fault."

"My baked potato for his roast beef. What a swap! I could get potatoes at home." - On his deal with a fellow high school player that was a devout catholic that would not eat meat during the pre-game meals on Fridays.

"When haircuts went to more than $1.On the reason he started shaving his head when he could grow hair."

"The ABCs of football: Attitude, Balls and communication."

"Coaches are not superstitious. But theres no point in taking chances." - On why, for over 10 years, he ate soft-shelled crabs at a restaurant called The Crossroads, served by a waitress named Millie, every Friday he could before a game. She had predicted a victory an evening before a big game along with getting him to change his order from shrimp to crabs.

"Nine guys tackling one little old ball carrier. Where the hell were the other two?" - Commenting on a Sports Illustrated photo showing nine Georgia players tackling an Alabama back, supposedly evidencing the brutality of football.

"Hell no. Ive cried too many times when we lost 10-7." - Answering a reporters question if he was embarrassed as a defensive-minded coach to win a game 44-42.

"When Patti's lucky outfit wears out." - reply when asked when he'd retire from coaching. Patti is his wife.

Quotations from Erk: Football, Fans & Friends, by Larry Adler