Dual Dynasties
As Paul Johnson Enters the College Football Hall of Fame, Georgia Southern GATAs for Erk Russell’s Induction
There are few truly legendary coaches in Georgia Southern’s history, but former head coaches Erk Russell and Paul Johnson are at the top of the list.
President Ryan Hunt, National Football Foundation Chief Operating Officer
Matthew Sign, Paul Johnson, former QB Tracy Ham and RB Adrian Peterson,
Georgia Southern Athletics Director Jared Benko, Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero and Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill
On Oct. 26, Johnson returned to Georgia Southern to be honored for his selection into the College Football Hall of Fame. During an on-field ceremony at the Eagles’ convincing 44-27 win against Georgia State, Johnson was accompanied by athletics staff and fellow Georgia Southern hall-of-famers Tracy Ham and Adrian Peterson, both of whom he coached and mentored.
“We had some great games here and some great wins,” said Johnson before kickoff. “I think we actually won 28 or 29 games in a row here ATHLETICS at home during that span — a lot of great players and a lot of great memories. It’s great to be back.”
An architect of the Eagles’ famed “triple option” flexbone offense, Johnson was instrumental in securing the program’s first two FCS/IAA national championships in 1985-86 as an offensive coordinator under Russell. After stints at the University of Hawaii and the U.S. Naval Academy, Johnson returned to Statesboro in 1996 as head coach, embarking on a five-year run that included five consecutive Southern Conference (SoCon) championships and two more national championships. In just five years with the Eagles, he boasted a 62-10 record and was named SoCon Coach of the Year in 1997 and 1998.
After leaving Georgia Southern, Johnson experienced success at both Navy and Georgia Tech, finishing his career with a 199-98 win-loss record. He was officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December at the 65th National Football Foundation Awards Dinner in Las Vegas.
“There are a lot of great memories here,” Johnson told the Statesboro Herald. “A lot of the players came back and it was great to see those guys. We had tremendous fun here and a lot of success.”
One More Time for Erk
Johnson is the first Georgia Southern head coach to enter the College Football Hall of Fame, though hopefully not the last.
As Georgia Southern celebrates 40 years since the return of football, its students, alumni, campus community, fans — and pretty much anyone who loves college football in Georgia — are asking one question: “Why ain’t Erk in the College Football Hall of Fame?”
Georgia Southern Athletics Director Jared Benko asked the same question early in his tenure. He found only one requirement keeping Russell from induction: the Hall of Fame requires 10 years of full-time head coaching experience. Russell was head coach for eight years.
“We’ve been trying to look into the process and understand what the process it, but no one’s been able to explain why 10 years,” said Benko. “It seems like an arbitrary term. But the whole reason this came up is because we’re trying to do right like Coach Russell always said. And we’re trying to do right by him.”
On Aug. 5, 2022, Benko and Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero penned a letter to Steve Hatchell, president and CEO of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Inc., arguing that Russell’s achievements, particularly in light of the fledgling state of the football program when he arrived, merit special consideration.
Hatchell’s response in a nutshell: the rule is 10 years, buddy.
Regardless of his response, however, the push for Russell’s induction has garnered widespread support from Georgia Southern faithful, as well as bloggers, sports columnists and reporters from websites, newspapers and television stations throughout the state. Even Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has expressed his support on social media, saying Russell, “certainly meets the high standards for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.”
Recounting Russell’s coaching history is like preaching to the choir, but to see it all on paper is enlightening.
In 1982, Erk Russell arrived in Statesboro to resurrect a Georgia Southern football program that lay dormant for more than 40 years. Despite the obvious challenges of creating a college football program from thin air, Russell and the Eagles ran roughshod over the Southern Conference for the next eight years. He amassed an astounding 83- 22-1 record — a winning percentage of almost 80% — including three national championships.
In 1989, Russell guided the Eagles to a perfect 15-0 season and retired that year as the winningest coach in America. He was named Coach of the Year a staggering 19 times and has been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (1987) and into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (1991) as well as being named Georgia Coach of the Decade by USA Today in 1989.
In addition to the overdue recognition, Benko says the heart of this campaign is the Russell family. “I want Jay and Rusty and the Russells to have that opportunity to be at the Hall of Fame induction and recognize their dad.”
Benko continues to lobby for Russell’s induction behind the scenes, reaching out to friends, influencers and others who can help “right the wrong” of his omission. He believes persistence will win in the end.
“It’s time,” said Marrero. “He should be in the College Football Hall of Fame.”
— Doy Cave