▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁B . L . ▁" C ro ok " ▁Smith , ▁a ▁sports ▁stand out ▁from ▁Mer cer ▁University , ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁football ▁coach ▁and ▁athlet ics ▁director ▁and ▁would ▁lead ▁the ▁football ▁team ▁for ▁ 1 3 ▁seasons . ▁Football ▁was ▁susp ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁at ▁the ▁out set ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁would ▁not ▁return ▁for ▁ 4 1 ▁years . ▁ ▁Er k ▁Russell ▁( 1 9 8 1 – 1 9 8 9 ) ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁President ▁D ale ▁L ick ▁decided ▁that ▁football ▁should ▁be ▁rev ived ▁at ▁Georgia ▁Southern ▁College . ▁Despite ▁a ▁fac ulty ▁sen ate ▁vote ▁against ▁renew ing ▁the ▁sport , ▁L ick ▁worked ▁to ▁generate ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁ende avor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁school ▁h ired ▁Er k ▁Russell , ▁the ▁popular ▁and ▁char ism atic ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator ▁at ▁Georgia , ▁to ▁coach ▁the ▁new ▁football ▁team . ▁On ▁the ▁h ire , ▁humor ist ▁Lewis ▁G ri zz ard ▁said , ▁" When ▁they ▁land ed ▁Er k ▁Russell , ▁they ▁got ▁themselves ▁a ▁franch ise ." ▁ ▁The ▁E ag les ▁field ed ▁a ▁club ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁began ▁official ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁I - AA ▁play ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁The ▁next ▁year