MACON, GA – Erk Russell, 1987 Georgia Sports Hall of Fame inductee and a coaching icon in the state of Georgia, died Friday morning in Statesboro. He was 80.

In the past few years, Russell had been heavily involved in helping market the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. At the 2004 Induction Ceremony, Russell was officially introduced as the voice and face that would be associated with the GSHF’s new statewide marketing campaign that included four different television commercials.

“They said,” Russell told the audience in 2004, “you’re the guy we’ve got to have. You have the perfect head to represent a museum and besides that, we can’t get anybody as cheap.’”

GSHF Executive Director Jacquelyn Decell said hearing of Russell’s loss was shocking.

“We could not believe what we heard,” she said. “You expect someone like Erk to always be around. He had a special way of connecting with the public. People loved him, respected him and trusted him. People always believed what he said.

“He was such a good friend to the GSHF. Whenever we called, he took the time to listen and did everything he could to help better this organization. We had the opportunity to know more than the name and legend. We knew the person. It is a very, very sad day here.”

Russell resurrected the football program at Georgia Southern University and quickly turned it into a Division I-AA dynasty. From 1982-1989, the Eagles compiled an 83-22-1 mark while winning the 1985, 1986 and 1989 national championships.

For 17 seasons (1964-1980) he was the defensive mastermind at the University of Georgia. During his tenure, the “Junkyard Dawgs” helped Georgia win four SEC titles and the 1980 national championship. His 1968 defense led the nation in scoring defense by yielding only 9.8 points per game.

“If I was picking a list of top 10 coaches that I have ever met and wanted to play for, Erk Russell would be on that list,” Florida State University Head Coach Bobby Bowden once said. “He is unsurpassed as a master motivator.”

Russell, also a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, began his head coaching career at Grady High School in Atlanta. In only his second season, Grady won the 1953 Georgia AA state championship. Russell was named Georgia High School Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Touchdown Club in 1953 and 1957