Erk Russell’s Junkard Dog Defense

First, let me confess a couple of things. First, I’ve never run this defense. In fact, I’m only giving you what I read in the AFCA Defensive Football Strategies . Second, I don’t know how you can apply much of this to your defense. I see similarities to the 3-4 defense more than anything, though. But I’m a life-long UGA fan, and the aura surrounding Erk Russell and his Junkyard Eight Defense (or Junkyard Dog) has always been in my mind. I am writing this only because I want to know more about it, and this is the best way I know to learn it.

Understand that the Junkyard Eight is a combination of two fronts. On one side it is the Split, and to the opposite side is a 60 Defense. Therefore, while running this defense, Russell actually had four fronts he could easily run. The base is the Junkyard Eight, with a 60 strong and Split weak. Then, obviously, Russell could run full 60 Defense or full Split Defense. And finally, the Dawgs could call the Split 60 Weak, which flopped the Split to the strong side.

The Junkyard Eight was developed to stop the Veer Option or Wishbone Option, and that is what is primarily discussed in the article “Eliminating Option with the Junkyard Eight.” I know of no other resource on this defense, so if you do, please leave something in the comments about it. Russell admits that the defense had not been effective against I-Formation teams, because you are outnumbered in the middle of the formation. The Defense is very strong against the Inside or Outside Veer and Speed Option, though.

Coach Russell and the Georgia Bulldogs used two zone coverages with the Junkyard Dog Defense. It obviously lends itself to Cover 3, however they would also run a 2-deep coverage called Cover 5. The play call would be Split 63 or Split 65, with the last number indicating the coverage. You could also obviously run Man coverage. The 2-deep coverage is strange to me, with the backside corner being responsible for one of the Deep halves, while the other corner is rolled up to help play the pitch on the option.

All players are spill players, or attacking with their outside shoulder on the inside half of the offensive blockers. Because of the lack of strength in the middle, they attempt to bounce everything out to where the strength lies. If the corners are able to become involved in the run game, they attack the outside shoulder and set the edge of the play.

I thought Erk Russell’s description of how they would play the option was interesting. They slow-play the option, meaning that no one has any assignment. They play at the line of scrimmage and let the option game come to them. Based on the way the near back comes out, the Defensive Ends, Sam, Mike, Will and Rover should get some idea of the style of option being run. Versus each style, Russell reviews how to play it – I won’t go into detail on it here.

Well that is a very, very simple and basic introduction into the Junkyard Eight or Junkyard Dog defense from Erk Russell, former Defensive Coordinator at the University of Georgia. I would give you more, but I don’t know a whole lot more! Any experts on the Junkyard Eight out there? Are there any other semi-obscure or obsolete defenses that I don’t know about?

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