| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-05-07)May 7, 1942 Bell, California, U.S. |
| Died | October 4, 2008(2008-10-04) (aged 66) Newport Beach, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1961–1964 | USC |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1965–1973 | USC (assistant) |
| 1974 | Portland Storm (assistant) |
| 1975 | USC (assistant) |
| 1976–1979 | Oregon State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 10–34–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| Second-teamAll-PCC (1964) | |
Craig Fertig (May 7, 1942 – October 4, 2008) was an Americancollege football player and coach.[1][2] He was the head football coach atOregon State University from1976 to1979, compiling a record of 10–34–1 (.233) in four seasons.
Fertig attended theUniversity of Southern California where he was a starquarterback for theTrojans. In1964, he set eight school passing records and threw the game-winning touchdown against top-rankedNotre Dame.[1][3][4]
Selected late in the1965 NFL draft, 270th overall, Fertig opted not to play pro football and began coaching in1965 at USC. From 1965 to 1975, he served as an assistant coach with the Trojans, except for a year in theWorld Football League (WFL) in1974. Fertig was hired as an assistant coach with thePortland Storm, but the team only lasted one season. TheIRS impounded the franchise at the conclusion of the 1974 season and Fertig returned to USC as an assistant in1975.[5]
At age 33 in December 1975, Fertig was named the head coach atOregon State University inCorvallis, with a three-year contract at $26,000 per year.[6][7] He followedDee Andros, who stepped down after eleven seasons and became OSU's athletic director. Fertig was fired during his fourth season in October1979, in the second year of a three-year contract at $33,696 per year.[8][9][10][11] He coached through the end of the season,[12] and lost the finale toOregon 24–3 in theCivil War, the Beavers' fifth straight loss to the Ducks.[13]
Fertig served as an assistantathletic director for the Trojans,[14] and was later a broadcaster.[2] In 2003, Fertig was hired as head coach ofEstancia High School's varsity football team.[15] As a walk-on coach, Fertig guided the Eagles for two seasons, going 3-7 in 2003 and 4-6 in 2004.[16]
Born inBell, California, Fertig was fromHuntington Park, where his father was chief of police.[1][17] He graduated fromHuntington Park High School and enrolled at USC. Fertig's sister Trudy also attended USC and married former USC linemanMarv Marinovich; their sonTodd Marinovich is Fertig's nephew.[14]
Fertig died in 2008 at age 66 ofkidney failure at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian inNewport Beach on October 4.[1][2] USC remembered him with a moment of silence at the game againstOregon that evening.[18]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State Beavers(Pacific-8 / Pacific-10 Conference)(1976–1979) | |||||||||
| 1976 | Oregon State | 2–10 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1977 | Oregon State | 3–8 | 1–7 | T–7th | |||||
| 1978 | Oregon State | 3–7–1 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
| 1979 | Oregon State | 2–9 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
| Oregon State: | 10–34–1 | 5–26 | |||||||
| Total: | 10–34–1 | ||||||||
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