Resolution pays tribute to Russell's outstanding contributions to football in Georgia, praises his "great influence on thousands of players, students, staff, faculty, and fans nationwide."

Washington, DC - 12^th District Georgia Congressman John Barrow (D-Savannah) today introduced a House Resolution honoring the late Erskine "Erk" Russell - the legendary football coach and mentor who helped restart Georgia Southern University's gridiron tradition and led the school to three Division I-AA championship titles.   

"Erk Russell was much more than a legendary football coach," Barrow said.  "He was a mentor to thousands of young men across our state, with a love for his players and the spirit of the game that few football coaches ever really possess.  His contributions to Georgia Southern and to Statesboro will live on for a long time to come."     

"I remember watching Coach Russell's ‘Junkyard Dawgs' defense stop SEC teams up and down the map - year after year," Barrow added.  "His move to Georgia Southern may have been a loss for the Dawgs, but it was a huge win for college football in our state - especially for all the Georgia Southern fans who'd been waiting some 40 years for college football to return to Statesboro." 

All of the championship teams that Russell coached are highlighted in the resolution: His Georgia AA state champion Grady High School team of 1953, his 17 years as an assistant coach at the University of Georgia - which included UGA's 1980 national championship team, and of course his legendary tenure as head coach at Georgia Southern University.

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Contact: Harper Lawson, (202) 225-2823

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