University Southern California Trojans
Dan Ferrigno Named Wide Receivers Coach
December 16, 1999 | Football
Dec. 16, 1999
LOS ANGELES--Dan Ferrigno, who spent the past 4 seasons as an assistant at California, was named the wide receivers coach at USC, Trojan head coach Paul Hackett announced today.
Hackett said Ferrigno also "will work some with our tight ends and some with our special teams."
Ferrigno, 46, was Cal's wide receivers coach in 1999 after spending his first 3 seasons there (1996-98) handling the Golden Bears' tight ends, where he tutored 1996 All-Pac-10 first teamer Tony Gonzalez, a first round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. He also was Cal's special teams coach all 4 years (punter Ryan Longwell made the 1996 All-Pac-10 first team, special teamer John McLaughlin was so honored in 1997 and 1998, and punter Nick Harris and return special Deltha O'Neal were 1999 All-Pac-10 first teamers).
"I'm excited that Dan is joining our staff," said Hackett. "We're all very impressed with his coaching ability. He's an outstanding teacher. I first noticed him when I was with the Chiefs and we were scouting Tony Gonzalez. He did an outstanding job with Tony. He has coached in our style of offense, working at California with head coach Steve Mariucci and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, our current coordinator. He knows the Pac-10. And he knows the wide receiver position, beginning with his days as a great receiver in college."
Ferrigno has 24 years of coaching experience. Before Cal, he spent 9 seasons (1987-95) at Oregon State, the first 4 guiding the Beaver running backs, then coaching the secondary in 1991, the outside linebackers the next 3 seasons and the secondary again in 1995 (free safety Reggie Tongue made the All-Pac-10 first team in 1995). He also was Oregon State's special teams coach all 9 years.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at St. Ignatius High in San Francisco for 3 seasons (1975-77), then moved to the college ranks in 1978 as the wide receivers and tight ends coach at San Francisco State, his alma mater. He handled the same duties at Pacific in 1979, then spent 1980 and 1981 as a graduate assistant at California (working with the tight ends in the first season and the offensive line in the second).
He then was an assistant at Western Michigan for 5 years (1982-86), coaching running backs the first 2 year, the offensive line the next 2 seasons and the quarterbacks in 1986. During his final 2 seasons there, he also was the offensive coordinator.
Ferrigno was a small college All-American honorable mention pick in 1973 and 1974 as a wide receiver at San Francisco State. He still holds the school's career records for receptions, receiving yards and TDs. He was a free agent with the Denver Broncos, but did not make the team. He was inducted into the San Francisco State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. He received his bachelor's degree in physical education from San Francisco State in 1975 and a teaching credential from there in 1978.
He prepped at Riordan High in San Francisco.
He was born on March 24, 1953. He has 3 children, Brendan, 15, Meagan, 13, and Hannah, 9. He is an avid jogger who has run a marathon in 3:18.
