WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 music 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:15.000 athletes cheering 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:18.000 music 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:20.000 Working for Arne Ferguson has been a great experience. 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.000 This is only my second year coaching and he's really pushed me 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.000 and strived me to become the best coach I can be. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:29.000 I also had a great experience playing for Arne Ferguson 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:34.000 with him become the best player and leader I can be as well. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:38.000 He's one of the greatest coaches I've every player under. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:41.000 He loves and cares about you individually and as a team. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:46.000 And he knows his football stuff, like his football IQ is out of this world and, 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.000 I'm so appreciate to have played under somebody like him. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.000 Playing for Coach Ferg was something I definitely will never forget. 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.000 He's definitely been a mentor to me especially because 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:59.000 my whole life, like has been built around football and 00:00:59.000 --> 00:00:62.000 he's kind of showed me that there's more to life than football and 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:05.000 that I can become even a better coach and a football player. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:10.000 Playing for Coach Ferg is amazing. It's been a great experience for me 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:14.000 especially because not only is he a great person and a great coach but 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:16.000 he's also a genius when it comes to football. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.000 music 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:22.000 Arne Ferguson began his coaching career in 1989 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.000 and has been on the sidelines at McArthur Field ever since, 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:28.000 minus one year as a high school coach. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.000 He coached the defensive backs and linebackers at WOU 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:34.000 before becoming the Defensive Coordinator in 1997. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.000 In 2005, when the legendary Duke Iverson stepped down, 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:41.000 Ferguson was named the head football coach. 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:45.000 It's big, to be a part of Coach Ferg's 100th win, you know. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.000 Because I came in when the milestone was still kind of a ways off and 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:52.000 to see the progress, to see what it took to get to that point, 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:58.000 it's amazing. It's nothing short of amazing. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:61.000 Being a part of Coach Ferg's 100th career win was 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:04.000 something that I'll never forget because 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.000 it felt like the whole team had to contribute for use to win, you know. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:10.000 It was the whole game that we battled through it and that's kind of what 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.000 Coach Ferg preached throughout the week that we were going to have to do. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.000 You don't see it a lot. It's rare. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:22.000 Being part of Coach Ferg's 100th win has been really an honor. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.000 It speaks a lot to the history of Western Oregon and the program, 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:30.000 from the time that Ferg has spent here over the past almost 10-20 years. 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:32.000 And then to see the smile on his face. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:34.000 You know, when you see that big ass smile you just 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.000 it makes your heart just turn warm, you know. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.000 Because what he's put into this program, how much he's put into 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:42.000 all of us and go out there and get that win for him and to actually 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:45.000 experience that with him was nothing short of great. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:50.000 In 2019, the Wolves clinched their first-ever share of the GNAC title. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:53.000 Ferguson was named GNAC Coach of the Year. 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:58.000 And an amazing earned GNAC accolades on both offense and defense. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:63.000 My favorite memory of Coach Ferg was probably in 2019. 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:07.000 As a player, when we beat Central Washington up in Ellensburg for the 1st time 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:10.000 in a long time. It just kind of spoke to some of the growing pains 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:13.000 that we'd been through together as a player and coach. 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:16.000 And to finally have it come out to a win, it was awesome. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.000 My favorite memory of Coach Ferg was when I messed up freshman year, you know. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.000 He had to kick me in the behind and keep my head on straight, you know. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.000 One time we actually sit out on the middle of field in the cold. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.000 And then another time he had us run around pretty much all of Monmouth 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:35.000 while he followed us in a car and he definitely set us straight right there. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:39.000 One thing I'll remember most is senior night when we played Simon Fraser 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:42.000 just when you're walking through that tunnel for the last time at McArthur Field, 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.000 the smile on his face when he came and greeted me and my family is something 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:50.000 that I'll never forget because for 4 years I kind of been dreading that moment. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:53.000 But in that moment is was kind of a bittersweet thing. 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:58.000 Number 12 played three season at Western from 1985-1988. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:63.000 Ferguson was a stand-out strong safety and a 3-time ALL-CFA choice. 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:10.000 He led Western Oregon with 65 tackles, 7 pass deflections, and 3 interceptions in 1987. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:17.000 At 6'3" 217 lbs, Ferguson was known for his ability to deliver big plays in crucial games. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.000 And earned a reputation based on his steady play. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 A soft spoken gentleman off the field, Ferguson told the media, 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.000 He went on to say that defensive football allows a player more freedom. 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:36.000 There's less structure and more instinctive play. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:38.000 music 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.000 Thank you coach I just want to say 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:43.000 I appreciate you for taking a chance on a kid from Oakland, California. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:47.000 And everything you've done for me I'm super grateful and I can't wait 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:50.000 to help you give back to the team and everything that it means to you. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:51.000 Let's go for 200! 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.000 Coach, thank you for everything you've done for me. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.000 I really appreciate you and I love you, man. 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:61.000 I'm excited to see what the team looks like next year. 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:03.000 And going forward I know you're going to keep them going and 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.000 thank you very much for everything you've done for me and my family. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:11.000 Coach, thank you for everything. You've been a huge role model for me as a coach 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.000 looking up to you from a player standpoint. And then also looking at you 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.000 in the coaching profession. You've taught me a lot. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:21.000 And I look forward to learning more from you. 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:23.000 Coach, thank you for taking a chance on me 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.000 and having confidence for me to play for you and be a leader 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.000 and I want to thank you for maximizing my potential. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:33.000 Coach Ferguson, thank you for the wins, your loyalty 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.000 and all the unforgettable moments. Go Wolves! 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:39.000 music 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:43.000 When Coach Ferg retires, I think it would be really cool to come back to a Western 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:47.000 football game and watch from the sidelines with him and see how he reacts. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:51.000 Some of Ferg's favorite sayings probably are kind of pretty simple. 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.000 And one of them is "do you understand that?" 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:56.000 So after he gives a locker room speech or any type of coaching 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:58.000 he gives you with a "do you understand that?" 00:05:58.000 --> 00:05:62.000 Recently, he had Raising Cane's chicken for the first time. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.000 And you should seen his eyes when he bite into that chicken. 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:08.000 He opened up and said, "this is the best chicken I've ever had." 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000 So I mean, I think that's going to be a staple going forward. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:26.000 music