Fertig Memories

By Scott Wolf on October 6, 2008 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

Here's a couple looks at former USC quarterback Craig Fertig.
The best story I ever heard was that when he coached at Oregon State, the Beavers played UCLA on a cold rainy day in Corvallis. Fertig made the players come out to the warmups without wearing any long-sleeve shirts under their jerseys.
When Bruins coach Terry Donahue saw this, he ordered his team to remove their undershirts when they returned to the locker room. But when Oregon State emerged from the locker room for the kickoff, the Beavers suddenly were wearing long-sleeve undershirts.

Craig Fertig was the first Trojan quarterback to pass for more than 300 yards. On October 24, 1964, Fertig and California quarterback Craig Morton put on a passing show at the Coliseum, with the Bear QB passing for 219 yards, and two touchdowns, and Fertig passing for 371 yards and four touchdowns. Fertig's leading receiver that day was Mike Garrett, who caught six passes for 122 yards and one touchdown. The winning score came with just 50 seconds left: 22 yards, Fertig to Rod Sherman, capping an 82 yard drive. Just a few weeks later, Rod Sherman would out-leap Notre Dame defensive back Tony Carey for a 17-yard, fourth down, touchdown pass from Fertig, with 1:37 left to play, to destroy the Irish dreams of an undefeated season and a national championship, 20-17.

Before Craig's astonishing performance against Cal, SC's passing record had been held by Jim Sears, who completed 19 of 26 for 293 yards and three touchdowns against Washington back in 1949. Craig's record would itself last 15 years, before being broken by Paul McDonald's 380-yard game against Arizona in 1979.

Craig's 300-yard game against Cal was SC's first; Mark Sanchez 300-yard game Saturday was the 54th by a Trojan quarterback.

Here's another look.