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Today in Patriots History
Vagas Ferguson
Vagas Ferguson
Happy 68th birthday to Vagas Feruson
Born March 6, 1957 in Richmond, Indiana
Patriot RB, 1980-1982; uniform #43
Patriots 1st round (25th overall) selection of the 1980 NFL Draft, from Notre Dame
Pats résumé: 3 seasons, 31 games (21 starts); 1,163 yards rushing, 4.0 yards per carry; 5 touchdowns
Trivia Question:
What did the Patriots get back when they traded LT Leon Gray away to the Oilers, as punishment for a prior contract holdout?
Answer:
A 1st round draft pick, which was used on Vagus Ferguson (plus a 7th on a WR who caught 4 passes with the Pats) - and cash, of course.
Vasquero Diaz 'Vagas' Ferguson was a good football player at Notre Dame. As a sophomore he was named outstanding offensive player in the 1978 Cotton Bowl, which Notre Dame won 38–10 in an upset over Earl Campbell's Texas Longhorns. As a senior he was an All-American ranking 5th in the nation in yards per carry, and finished 5th in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Over his college career he averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
Sam Cunningham held out in a contract dispute of his own in 1980 - a situation that the Patriots perpared for by drafting Ferguson, rather than doing the smart thing like either negotiating a settlement, or trading him.
As a rookie Ferguson split carries equally with Don Calhoun, rushing for 818 yards and 3.9 yards per carry as the Patriots went 10-6. A year later it was a different story. The defense was much worse (falling from a ranking of 8th to 25th in yards allowed), and the offense declined, going from 9th in turnovers to 26th. The team plummeted to a 2-14 record, and the run/pass ratio changed due to constantly playing from behind. The biggest change for Ferguson however was not the number of running plays, but the arrival of Tony Collins - as well as the return of Cunningham. Collins had 204 rushes (plus 26 receptions); Ferguson was the third option, with only 78 carries for 340 yards (though he did average 4.4 yards per carry).
Fergusson had one carry in week one of the 1982 season - and that was the last rush of his NFL career. He did score four touchdowns in 1984 with the USFL's Chicago Blitz, but that's about it for his pro football career. Ferguson then worked for 6½ years as a salesman for Belden Wire, a Fortune 1000 electrical parts company, then returned to his hometown of Richmond Indiana, working in their school system.
Sept 24, 1979:
Vagas Ferguson, Notre Dame Halfback September 24, 1979
In the late 1970s Notre Dame had an All-America offensive starwith a catchy name, a somewhat undersized body and a knack forcoming through in big games. No,
vault.si.com
In the late 1970s Notre Dame had an All-America offensive star with a catchy name, a somewhat undersized body and a knack for coming through in big games. No, it wasn't Joe Montana--he never made All-America. Vagas Ferguson did, and without him the Fighting Irish might not have won their only national championship of that period.
Ferguson was a 6'1", 194-pound halfback who wasn't terrifically fast but avoided tacklers the way Albert Belle shuns the media. When the Irish stunned Texas 38-10 in the Cotton Bowl to win the 1977 national title, the game's offensive MVP was Ferguson, a sophomore, who rushed for 100 yards and scored three touchdowns. He finished his career two years later with a then school-record 3,472 rushing yards.
March 31, 2011 - Erik Frenz, Bleacher Reoprt:
NFL Draft: Seven Biggest Draft Busts in New England Patriots History
Vagas Ferguson - 6 of 8
Finding information on Ferguson beyond his days with Notre Dame was difficult. Perhaps that's a testament to how little of an impact he had in the NFL. If not, perhaps just three years in the league will paint the picture for you.
Throwback Thursday: Former Notre Dame Running Back Vagas Ferguson
A shining example of the never say quit attitude!
www.onefootdown.com
“My favorite memory on the field had to have been the 1979 Cotton Bowl against Houston. It was below zero; so cold, in fact, that they had to put salt down on the field to thaw it out. In the fourth quarter, we were behind 34-12 with seven minutes left. Late in the game the defense made a big play (a Tony Belden blocked punt) and got points on the board which really changed the momentum for us. (Quarterback Joe) Montana, who had been sick with the flu and missed most of the third quarter fighting below-normal body temperature, returned to execute an unforgettable fourth quarter comeback.”
“Down 34-28 with six seconds remaining, we had just enough time to run two plays. The first play was a pass pattern where myself and receiver Kris Haines went to the flat and we had to get across the goal line from the 20-yard line. With the limited amount of time remaining in the game, if we caught the ball, we had to score. The first play we ran was not successful. At this point there was only two seconds on the clock. On the next play, Montana looks over to the sidelines and the coaches, including Coach Devine, put up their hands as if to say, ‘Do whatever you want to do. Joe, you call it.’ He got down on one knee and drew the play (the same play we had just run), just like you would in the school yard, and told me and Kris Haines how to run it. Haines said he could beat the guy that he was covering. Joe told him, ‘I’ll hit ya in the corner of the end zone.’ We ran the play, scored and won on the last play of the game. Incredible.”
Where Are They Now? Vagas Ferguson - Her Loyal Sons
Although Vasquero Diaz “Vagas” Ferguson grew up in Richmond, Ind., Notre Dame was nowhere on his radar. A resourceful Notre Dame recruiter discovered him, in this small town near the Ohio border and won him over with some Fighting Irish magic. Ferguson finished his senior year as the nation’s...
www.herloyalsons.com
Q: How would you describe your NFL career?
A: “The friendships you make and the people you meet are definitely one of the best things that I took away from the NFL. If I think of anything it is those relationships that I developed. I still keep in touch with many of the guys I played with in New England. Looking back you don’t remember the records or the individual touchdowns, but you do remember people. It’s a blessing to know I can go anywhere in the country and run into people that I know. It’s no longer about football it’s about relationships.”
Indiana Football Hall of Fame
UPI First Team All-American 1979; MVP in 1978 Cotton Bowl when ND upset #1 ranked Texas and Earl Campbell to win the National Championship; was Notre Dame's leading rusher of all time at the time of his graduation; set records for single season of 1,437 yards, single game of 255 yards, and career of 3,472 yards; average yards per game in 1979 of 130.6 yards and for career of 89 yards; had 17 career games of 100 or more yards; all-time record for scoring of 17 TDs in a season 1979, and career TDs of 32.
Vagas Ferguson touchdowns in the 78 Cotton Bowl vs Texas
33-second highlight play
Vagas Ferguson - Strong and True - 125 Years of Notre Dame Football
1:40 highlight video
Vagas Ferguson Interview Part 1
10:25 video, part one of four
Vagas Ferguson Interview Part 2
8:40 video, part two of four
33-second highlight play
Vagas Ferguson - Strong and True - 125 Years of Notre Dame Football
1:40 highlight video
Vagas Ferguson Interview Part 1
10:25 video, part one of four
Vagas Ferguson Interview Part 2
8:40 video, part two of four
Vagas Ferguson – MARK MONTIETH
markmontieth.com
Humble football star Vagas Ferguson recalls national championship, glory days at Notre Dame
The 20 worst draft picks and busts in New England Patriots history
The Patriots haven't batted 1.000 in the draft -- far from it. From the early years in the AFL to Bill Belichick's days in charge, the Patriots have had some tragic draft day misses.
www.masslive.com
Which obscure or mediocre Patriots player did you irrationally like?
Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, email, his Friday chat, and any other outlet you prefer. He’ll pick one...
www.boston.com
A forgotten Er-a?
Ron Erhardt was watching the Patriots recently when Donte’ Stallworth caught a pass over the middle and jetted upfield. Four words immediately popped into his head: All in, break deep. That’s what they called the play when Erhardt w…
www.bostonherald.com
Vagas Ferguson - USFL (United States Football League)
The online home and historical archive for the United States Football League (USFL) featuring stories, pictures, stats and video.
www.usflsite.com
Vagas Ferguson - Pro Football Archives
Vagas Ferguson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Checkout the latest stats for Vagas Ferguson. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
1980 New England Patriots Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Check out the 1980 New England Patriots Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
1981 New England Patriots Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Check out the 1981 New England Patriots Roster, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
Vagas Ferguson - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
