STATESBORO, Ga. -- Former Georgia Southern football coach Erk Russell is irked.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
Have a thought?
Go to the Forums or Chat.
|
|
|
Nearly four weeks ago, his son Rusty, the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, was fired. Erk Russell's issues concern the statements made by coach Mike Sewak - that Rusty's firing was done after consulting with Erk.
The rift undoubtedly will strain the future relationship between Georgia Southern and Erk Russell, who often is credited with fueling the rapid rise of the Eagles’ football program as its first coach in 1982.
He retired after winning a Division I-AA national championship in 1989, but remained a central figure for support and public relations at the school throughout the past 14 years.
The 77-year-old Russell, however, wouldn’t comment on his future with Georgia Southern, saying he wanted his two-page statement released to selected media Saturday to be his final word on the subject.
He ended his statement by writing, "They finally got us all. Jay, Rusty and Erk. Now the program can move forward."
But Russell said the origin of his entire statement was to refute this claim made by Sewak during a Jan. 14 press conference announcing Rusty’s firing:
"I visited with coach (Erk Russell) on these matters, as I do all matters (of) Georgia Southern. He is our tradition. He brought me here."
Erk Russell wrote that Sewak never met with him until two weeks after the firing, and then on Erk's request.
"I don't see any reason to get into it," Sewak said. "I don't think there's a question he's hurt. I feel for Coach Russell, both of them."
During the 2003 football season, Sewak and Erk Russell appeared to have a good relationship. Sewak asked Russell to say some words to the players at Media Day, and again following the team’s final practice of the week before playing The Citadel on Oct. 25.
Sewak maintains Rusty Russell's firing was his decision. The defense played poorly during a 7-4 season, and the Eagles failed to make the Division I-AA playoffs for the first time since 1996.
After the 2002 season, Rusty Russell and Sewak were in competition for the Eagles’ head coaching job when coach Paul Johnson accepted the head coaching job at Navy.
Sewak got the job and retained Russell as defensive coordinator, and the Eagles finished seventh among 120 schools in I-AA in scoring defense, allowing just 13.6 points a game. Georgia Southern surprised many experts by advancing to the semifinals. The Eagles began 2003 ranked No. 2 in preseason polls, but were one of the season’s biggest disappointments in I-AA.
"Naturally, if it was my son being fired, I'd be upset," said longtime Eagles’ booster Ronnie Hodges. "But Mike's the coach and he has to do what he thinks is right... But for what he's done for the program, (Erk Russell) demands respect. We need Erk in our program."
Russell wanted to make sure his feelings about Rusty’s firing weren't misconstrued.
"Rusty Russell is my son and a very good football coach, Erk Russell wrote." "He was fired by Georgia Southern, my team and my school. This breaks my heart and hurts my family mightily."
