Riley The Relentless

NOTE: This story on Riley Ferguson first appeared in the Sept. 16 Memphis Football GameDay Program vs. UCLA.

There were those who didn't see what Mike Fairfax saw, but who could blame them for doubting the Charlotte, N.C., youth football coach?

After all, Fairfax was making an assessment of a 7-year-old baseball player, projecting him – based on his body language – to be more suited for football.

"I'd seen him playing on a little baseball all-star team," Fairfax said. "I told some of the baseball coaches `I'm going to take that kid and he's going to play quarterback on my youth team.'

"They laughed at me. They said he couldn't pay attention long enough to tie his shoes. I said if you look at him and watch his eyes, he's bored. This game doesn't move fast enough for this child. He's built for football or basketball. I'll prove you guys wrong."

Fairfax followed through on his hunch. He convinced a young Riley Ferguson to give football a chance and ignited, in him, a passion for the sport. Ferguson developed under Fairfax's guidance from a precocious pre-teen with an accurate arm to a mature teenager with a keen understanding of the position.

Ferguson led his teams to two American Youth Football national titles and his high school team in North Carolina to two state titles. Last season, his first at the University of Memphis, Ferguson directed the Tigers to an 8-5 record and a third-straight bowl appearance while setting a school season record with 32 touchdown passes.

Ask Ferguson about those most responsible for his success, for helping him navigate a winding career path from North Carolina to the University of Tennessee to Coffeyville Community College to the UofM, and Fairfax's name immediately surfaces.

"He was teaching me (to read coverages) when I was 8-years-old," Ferguson said. "I never lost a game with him as my coach."

Fairfax coached Ferguson from the time he was 7-years-old until he entered Butler High School. Several of his youth football teammates during those years also were blessed with above-average skills, but Ferguson was their leader.

"We were passing for about 150 yards per game in Mighty Mites football," Fairfax said. "And coaches had no idea how to stop the passing game with 7-year-olds. At that age, it's pretty much snap the ball, hand it off and run.

"But we had a couple of pretty good receivers and a couple of pretty good routes, and Riley ran a good offense. We pretty much smashed everybody with Riley playing quarterback."

Ferguson's mother, Diana, who has played as significant a role in her son emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in the American Athletic Conference, said the timing of Fairfax entering her son's life can't be overlooked. Fairfax became, she said, somewhat of a father figure after she and her husband divorced.

Fairfax expressed a belief in her son's ability to perform, and lead, from the outset.

"Mike taught him basically everything he knows," Diana said. "Mike saw something in Riley. I knew from a young age that Riley had a gift, and Mike saw that in him, too.

"He was super hard on Riley. Parents would ask me all the time 'How are you OK with that?' But I knew he was pushing him to be the best player he could be, pushing him to do more, to learn more. I never had a problem with (Fairfax). I knew he had Riley's best interests at heart."

Diana said her son always has been "strong-willed" and unrelenting.

"If he makes up his mind about something, you're not going to change it," she said. "But I can see where that has helped him in football. He doesn't take no for an answer."

While it's a personality trait that has aided Ferguson's rise, it's one that occasionally has caused Diana concern. He has told her many times that if he gets hurt during a game "the only way they are taking me off the field is if they carry me off of it."

"That's his mentality," she said. "He's going to win the game if he can. He is not going to give up. He is not going to quit."

Fairfax said he also has loved Ferguson's confidence that, at times, has bordered on cockiness.

When Ferguson was 14-years-old, Fairfax accompanied him to a Carolina Panthers game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. At halftime, Ferguson participated in a passing contest and his first two throws, from midfield, reached the end zone. The second throw traveled beyond the end zone.

"Back in the tunnel, the Panthers were watching, and they were shaking their heads (at the strength of Ferguson's arm)," Fairfax said. "Riley saw (Panthers' receiver) Steve Smith and said: 'Tell (Panthers' quarterback Jake) Delhomme that I'm coming for him.' Steve just smiled. He'd just seen this 14-year-old throw the ball 60 yards."

Fairfax said there have been very few players he has coached in 30-plus years that he has projected as potential NFL players.

"That cat is one of them," he said of Ferguson.

Ferguson's success to this point has been a reflection of those who have been most involved in his life and share his passion for the sport. Tigers coach Mike Norvell said the influence Ferguson's mom has had is undeniable.

"When you meet her, the connection and love they have for other is pretty special," Norvell said. "She's done a great job."

It is Ferguson's leadership abilities – perhaps inborn, perhaps developed through his experiences – that impress Norvell most. Those attributes are displayed on, and off, the football field. Teammates respect his even temperament.

"He's a natural leader," said receiver Anthony Miller, who had 13 touchdown receptions from Ferguson a year ago.

Once he learned the offense, Miller said, he took control and "demanded excellence" from the players.

"He's seen some highs and lows and never had a victim's mentality: woe is me, why is this happening to me?" Norvell said. "He's always found a solution. That's something I've loved about him. Even on days that haven't gone as well as he wanted, his response has been phenomenal. That's a great characteristic trait."

Related News

Players Mentioned

Riley Ferguson

Anthony Miller

Related Videos