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OUR
FAVORITES - LEGENDS & LOVES OF UGA
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COACH
VINCE DOOLEY
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 END
OF AN ERA: VINCE DOOLEY
Saying goodbye: Coach Dooley's letter to fans
The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/27/04
My career
in athletics has been a marvelous and rewarding journey.
I have
truly wonderful memories of all the individuals I have had the
privilege of being associated with over a 52-year period -- the
student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans and supporters.
I have had the great privilege of being involved in
intercollegiate athletics for more than five decades -- four years
as a student-athlete, eight years as an assistant football coach,
25 years as a head football coach and 25 years as an athletics
director, all in the Southeastern Conference.
Such a long
tenure obviously afforded me the opportunity to observe many
changes in intercollegiate athletics, all for the better.
As a head
football coach, I saw the integration of intercollegiate athletics
in the South. In fact, the first black student-athlete to compete
at the University of Georgia was Maxie Foster, who walked on for
the track team in 1968, later earned a scholarship and became the
first black student to graduate with a degree in health and
physical education. He and some other special individuals,
especially in football and basketball, are real pioneers for
Georgia athletics and the Southeastern Conference.
Likewise,
there have been great strides in the hiring of African-American
coaches and administrators. At UGA, we hired Tubby Smith in 1995
to head our men's basketball program and currently, we are
fortunate to have Dennis Felton in the same capacity. And, I am
proud our new athletics director, Damon Evans, who will be taking
over in July. He not only will be a great administrator first and
foremost, but is also an African-American football letterman and
graduate of UGA.
Another
dramatic change was the passage of Title IX, which certainly had
the greatest influence in reshaping athletics programs and
providing enormous opportunities for women to participate in
sports. I became the athletics director at Georgia just as the
tidal wave of the integration of women into intercollegiate
athletics was having its greatest impact.
My first
job as athletics director was to hire our first full-time women's
basketball coach. That person was Andy Landers and he is still our
basketball coach today after 25 years, and is recognized as one of
the truly great coaches in the country. It has been a rewarding
experience to watch the increased participation of women in sports
at Georgia and all over the country, providing the opportunities
for them to follow their dreams.
I also have
watched the increased proficiency of coaches in all sports around
the country through professional associations, detailed study and
work habits. There is no comparison between the coaches of today
in all of our sports as opposed to those of just 20 years ago. I
have seen it particularly in football and especially in the
passing game, though the basic fundamentals of the game are just
the same today as they were 48 years ago when I began coaching.
These fundamentals will always remain the same.
There is
one good attribute I believe I have and that is the ability to
hire good people, and I have been blessed, with rare exceptions,
with a quality and talented group of coaches and administrators.
I always
speak in terms of rewards as opposed to achievements. Over a
period of 40 years at Georgia, there are a lot of things to feel
good about. The thrill of victory and winning championships
certainly has provided special memories. The construction of
excellent facilities over a long period of time also is rewarding.
Hiring coaches, giving them the resources to succeed and then
watching them succeed at the highest level also has been very
rewarding.
Watching
athletic teams, some of which I coached, and our administrative
teams work together in a cooperative effort toward common goals is
a special reward.
There are
so many, but what becomes increasingly more important than the
victories, the championships and the facilities is the association
with student-athletes, coaches and administrators. Perhaps the
greatest reward of all, which is particularly special to coaches
and teachers, is when one of your student-athletes at some point
in time down the road, says to you two meaningful words,
"Thanks Coach."
I am proud
to have served, and as always is the case, you get so much more
than what you give from the experience. All of my experiences have
helped me grow as a teacher, coach and administrator. The great
part of it all is that it is not over yet. I am still excited,
motivated and optimistic about the future, and I intend to
continue to be active and serve where I can to still reap the
rewards of being part of intercollegiate athletics.
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Vince
Dooley's memories of some accomplishments:
- Winning
three consecutive SEC championships, from 1980 to 1982
- Beating
Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl to win the 1980 national
championship
- Six
expansions of Sanford Stadium
- Construction
of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall and Ramsey Student Activities
Center
- Having
the 1996 Olympic soccer in Sanford Stadium and rhythmic
gymnastics in Stegeman Coliseum
- Established
Vince Dooley Library Endowment
- Hiring
football coach Mark Richt
- Growth
of women's sports
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LEARNING
FROM THE MASTER
Mark Richt, Georgia football coach
We were at
one of those Bulldog Club meetings my first year, and during the
question-and-answer session, the question was asked: "Compare
Georgia's talent level to Florida State's talent level." Of
course I had just left Florida State; I'd been gone maybe a month
or so. I was trying to be pretty conservative. I said maybe a six
or six and a half out of 10, something like that. I didn't think
that much about it.
Then on the
drive home, Coach Dooley made the comment: He said, "You know
that question about the talent level at Georgia compared to
Florida State? In the future, you need to say about a four."
He says, "You need to get those expectations where they
belong."
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Georgia
sports teams won 20 national championships during Vince Dooley's
term as athletics director:
Football: 1980
Baseball: 1990
Men's golf: 1999
Women's golf: 2001
Equestrian: 2003, 2004
Gymnastics: 1987, 1989, 1993, 1998, 1999
Women's swimming and diving: 1999, 2000, 2001
Men's tennis: 1985, 1987, 1999, 2001
Women's tennis: 1994, 2000 |
Retired 6/30/05
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TRIBUTE TO
ERK RUSSELL
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Prior to the 1980
season, Erk Russell wrote this letter to his defensive
linemen:
Gentlemen: The football season of 80' will be my seventeenth
as a Georgia Bulldog. During this time there have been many
thrilling Saturdays of competition, each with it's
individual memories, because each game has it's own
personality. There are two Saturday traditions and
experiences which have remained basically the same
throughout the years for me and I would like to share them
with you. The first one concerns the RAILROAD TRACK CROWD.
These are my people because they love the Dogs almost as
much as I do. Oh, I know they do some crazy things- like
turn over our opponents' busses sometimes and now and then
they throw one another down the bank and into the
street below. But they stamp out Kudzu and they pull for us
to win and that aint bad. If you can get off the bus to
cheers of THE RAILROAD TRACK CROWD and walk down those steps
to the dressing room and not be inspired to play football as
best you possibly can, something important is missing
beneath the
Georgia jersey you
wear. It is impossible not to be inspired. They choke me up!
The season of 1980 will be the last for THE RAILROAD TRACK
CROWD. A great Georgia tradition will have passed with the
new addition to our stadium. The view from the tracks will
be no more. Your team will be the last Georgia Team to be
greeted and cheered by the RAILROAD TRACK CROWD. Wouldn't it
be fitting if their last team was also the best Georgia Team
ever. Think about it! Another Saturday tradition which has
meant so much to me over the years can be stated very
simply. "THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE BEING A BULLDOG ON
SATURDAY NIGHT-----AFTER WINNING A FOOTBALL GAME." I mean
like whipping TENNESSEE'S ASS to start with, then ten more
and then another one. This is the game plan. We have no
alternate plan.
Sincerely, Erk Russell |
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Erk Russell
Remembered For
Tenacity & Motivation |
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ATHENS, Ga.
--- Erk Russell, who led Georgia's "Junkyard Dawgs"
defense and then built a small-college powerhouse of
his own at Georgia Southern, died Friday after a car
accident in Statesboro, Ga., a hospital official
told The Associated Press. He was 80.
“Erk
Russell is an icon of Georgia football history, and
we join all the Bulldog Nation in mourning his
passing," University of Georgia President Michael F.
Adams said. "I had come to know him over the years
and have great respect for his many contributions to
the University and its football program. His
tenacity, combined with a loving spirit, inspired
loyalty in his players, fellow coaches, and all who
love the University of Georgia. Our thoughts and
prayers are with his family in their time of great
loss.”
“This
is a sad day for the Bulldog Nation," Director of
Athletics Damon Evans said. "Coach Russell touched
the lives of so many people. His legendary status as
a hard-nosed defensive coordinator at the University
of Georgia will always be remembered. Erk truly
embodied what it means to be a Georgia Bulldog.”
"This
is a total shock, and Barbara and I extend our
heartfelt sympathy to the Russell family," former
Georgia football coach and AD Vince Dooley said. "Erk
and I coached together at Auburn as assistants and
were a close team for 17 years at Georgia. To say
that Erk was a great coach doesn't do him justice.
He had a wonderful sense of humor, combined with a
tremendous ability to motivate. He had a unique
ability to relate to players in a very special way
and was the epitome of a players' coach. He had a
great influence on people and affected the lives of
many. He was loved by all."
“We
had Erk speak to our team a few years back and we
still show that video to our team on occasion,"
Georgia head football coach Mark Richt said. "He had
charisma. He didn’t take himself too seriously and
people loved him because they knew he cared. He left
a huge impression on the Georgia program, the people
of Georgia, and especially the players he coached
and his fellow coaches.”
Russell spent 17 years as Georgia's defensive
coordinator and became a symbol of the Bulldogs'
toughness by going head to head with helmeted
players during practices. Blood streaming down his
bald head was not an uncommon site.
“Erk
coached through motivation not intimidation as some
thought," said Loran Smith, Georgia Radio Network
sideline reporter and longtime Executive Secretary
of the Georgia Bulldog Club. "He had the most
remarkable ability to make everybody feel good.
Secretaries loved him. Custodians loved him. Most of
all, his players loved him, which is why the least
talented athlete could make a contribution if it was
only for one play or one series. He felt that
defense was reaction and recognition. He could
motivate a kid with heart and an appreciation for
team play to help Georgia win championships. He was
selfless and was happiest with a beer, a cigar and
good conversation. To me, the mark of a great man is
when the little people admire and love you. That was
certainly the case with Erk. He was the heart and
soul of Georgia football for the years he was here.”
“We’ve
had many fine assistant coaches at Georgia, but Erk
Russell was probably the most instrumental assistant
in our history," said former Georgia Sports
Information Director Dan Magill. "He had more to do
with the fighting spirit of our defenses than anyone
and probably the greatest impact of any assistant on
the success of the teams during his tenure.”
Russell left the Bulldogs following the national
championship season of 1980 to resurrect the Georgia
Southern football program. The Eagles had not
fielded a team since 1941, but Russell led them to
Division I-AA national titles in 1985, 1986 and
1989. Russell went 83-22-1 in eight seasons as the
Eagles coach. He was a three-time I-AA National
Coach of the Year.
Born
July 23, 1926, in Birmingham, Ala., Russell was a
four-sport letterman at Auburn. He began his
coaching career at Grady High School in Atlanta, and
then had stints as an assistant at Auburn and
Vanderbilt before he joined Coach Vince Dooley's
first staff at Georgia in 1964.
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last
updated: 12/20/07 08:43 PM
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