Georgia State’s Joe Gilbert pulled and slammed into a Clark Atlanta linebacker. As Gilbert pushed into the end zone, running back Donald Russell suddenly fired into the gap beside Gilbert, driving his legs, trying to get the nine feet for a touchdown.
Russell bulldozed the pile, scored the touchdown, and perhaps more importantly, inspired his teammates.
“He’s not afraid to accept or deliver a blow,” Gilbert said. “You can’t put a price tag on that as an offensive lineman to see a running back who will come up and just knock a linebacker or defensive back, and keep his legs driving and keep gaining yards. It’s motivational as an offensive lineman.”
Georgia State’s running game was one of its big question marks entering the season after the team averaged 123.3 yards per game last season. The Panthers had a lot of returnees at the position this year in Travis Evans, Parris Lee and Rosevelt Watson. However, Evans and Lee were smaller backs with similar styles, and Watson was a better blocker than runner.
Coach Bill Curry bemoaned the lack of a wear-’em-down running game that he said cost his team several victories during the inaugural season. What the Panthers needed was a running back capable of banging between the tackles and grinding out yards.
Enter Russell, who said, “I was taught ... to get the yards you can get.”
Russell scored two touchdowns on his first two carries on Friday against Clark Atlanta. He finished with 56 yards on nine carries. However, his path to Georgia State wasn’t nearly as direct as his runs last week.
A prep standout in West Palm Beach, Fla., Russell signed with Kentucky. He tantalized as a freshman, carrying the ball 13 times for 137 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown run. He failed to establish himself as a sophomore in the Wildcats’ running back by committee scheme, carrying the ball 64 times for 294 yards.
Things looked promising when he rushed for 110 yards against Charleston Southern in November. However, he carried the ball one time for one yard the next week against Vanderbilt and didn’t carry it in the regular-season finale against Tennessee. He transferred because he wanted more playing time.
“It was a better opportunity for me to leave,” Russell said.
Relationships that Curry has cultivated over the years paid dividends. Curry promoted Joker Phillips from graduate assignment to assistant coach when Curry coached in Lexington. Phillips, now the Wildcats’ head coach, called Curry and recommended Russell.
Russell independently spoke with the Panthers Watson and Robert Ferguson, who, like Russell, grew up in south Florida. He liked what he heard, describing Georgia State’s coaches as positive.
After visiting Georgia State’s campus, he decided to make Atlanta his new home.
“How can you say no to playing under coach Curry?” he said. “It was good move for me.”
Russell entered August’s practices slightly overweight. He’s dropped about 10 pounds and hopes to drop a few more to 210 pounds. However, he has a surprising burst. Old Dominion coach Bobby Wilder, whose team will play Georgia State on Saturday, said, while watching film of the Panthers, he immediately noticed Russell had good hands and feet. Against Clark, Russell broke a tackle at the line and sprinted 20 yards for a touchdown on his first carry.
“We had terrific backs before but Donald makes a difference when he handles the ball, and you saw that,” Curry said. “He has the capacity and the physicality to punish tacklers and spin away and run away from some others. That’s a gift and a lot of great backs have that. We have high hopes for him.”
His teammates have noticed. Defensive Christo Bilukidi said he appreciates a running back who will lower his head and isn’t afraid.
Gilbert said Russell reminds him of former Georgia Tech teammate Roddy Jones, describing Russell as a sparkplug that brings a pop, which is just what Georgia State’s running game needed.
“The man lowers his shoulder and gets the job done,” Gilbert said.
Etc.
Georgia State quarterback Bo Schlechter was named FCS Independent Player of the Week by College Sports Madness after completing 13 of 18 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns in his first start at quarterback. ... Freshman Christian Benvenuto was named placekicker performer of the week by the College Football Performance Awards. He hit field goals of 44 and 45 yards against Clark Atlanta. ... All three Georgia State quarterbacks -- Schlechter, Drew Little and Kelton Hill-- will be eligible to play on Saturday. Hill served a one-game suspension for the season opener, and Curry decided to not to add more games.
Next game
Who: Old Dominion
When: Noon
Where: Georgia Dome
TV/Radio: CSS, 1160, 1690, 88.5.
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