Bill Furgerson – Football 1947-1951, Track Coach 1956-1965, Football Coach 1967-1977 (Deceased)
Coach Bill Furgerson began his career with Murray State (1947-51) as a student-athlete as a part of the formation and launch of the Ohio Valley Conference.
Playing for Coach Fred Furot, Furgerson was a Racer football captain and played on two of Murray States OVC championship teams in 1948 and
1950.
He played in what is still the only bowl game in program history when the Racers took on Sol Ross State of Texas in the Tangerine Bowl in January of 1949.
When his playing days were finished, Furgerson stayed on and became head football coach for the Racers for 11 seasons from 1967-1977 in which he recruited and developed OVC Player of the Year winners: Larry Tillman (QB in 1969), Rick Fisher (RB in 1971).
Both Tillman and Fisher are in the Murray State Hall of Fame and Tillman’s No. 10 is one retired.
In 1968, Furgerson was named OVC Coach of the Year even though the Racers didn’t win the OVC title, but went 7-2-1 overall and 5-2 in OVC play.
Furgerson’s teams never reached their goal of taking the OVC Championship, but they did finish second or third five times in his 11 seasons.
In 11 seasons, his teams were 60-50-4.
Furgerson’s 60 career equaled the number won by Coach Roy Stewart as the most by any coach in MSU grid history.
As of 2024, Ferguson and Stewart’s 60 wins is the best by any head coach in MSU’s 100 seasons.
Furgerson was MSU’s coach when the team won the program’s 400th game (10-12-1968) in a 21-14 victory at Southeast Missouri.
His best season came in 1974 when the Racers were 9-2 and placed second in the OVC at 5-2.
Before his football success, Furgerson also led a highly successful track & field program for the Racers from 1956-65.
Under his leadership, the Racers won six-consecutive OVC championships beginning with the 1958 season.
His teams had a string of 24-straight dual meet victories and was unbeaten in the OVC from 1958 through 1964.
Furgerson also coached the Racers to the first cross country championship in the OVC in 1962 and also in 1963.
He recruited and coached track & field greats that are members of the MSU Hall of Fame including:
Marshall Gage who was part of the first class to the MSU HOF in 1965. Gage competed from 1957-61 and he was honored by having the track at Stewart Stadium named in his honor.
Charles Allen, hurdler and long jumper from 1962-65, inducted in 1970.
Sprinter, Bob Doty, from 1961-65 and inducted in 2012.
Sprinter, Jim Freeman, from 1964-67, inducted in 1977.
Two-sport star and the first African American student-athlete at MSU, recruited by Coach Furgerson in 1960-64. Jackson was inducted in 2007 and had his football No. 25 retired in 2023.
A native of Dexter, Ky., Furgerson was born June 14, 1929 and died at the age of 77 on Sept. 21, 2006.
March 30, 1990 Track Dedication Ceremony
Jim Booth, Margaret Simmons, Marshall Gage, Bill Furgerson, Stan Narewski
