The football player who kicks off our list of “50 Greatest Big Sky Athletes” hasn’t forgotten his final collegiate football game.
Nevada’s Charvez Foger carried the ball 43 times for 206 yards in a win over Idaho State. Along the way, he became the Big Sky’s all-time leading rusher.
“It was such a big deal,’’ said Foger, who now lives in Las Vegas, Nev. “They stopped the game and gave me the ball. Cedric Minter was the guy I beat out. I was on the phone after the game calling my dad. The game wasn’t televised.’’
Foger finished his career that fall day in 1988 in Pocatello, Idaho, with 4,484 career rushing yards, nine more than Minter, who played at Boise State. Foger’s record stood until 2000, and he still ranks fifth all-time in league history.
“We kind of abandoned the pass and let me run the ball,’’ Foger said. “I ran the ball close to 50 times. They were keying in on me, putting two guys on me all the time. Coach (Chris) Ault told me if I didn’t get it by the fourth quarter, they were going to start passing. My line did an excellent job of opening holes. I broke off a couple of 60-yarders. I was very happy for that.’’
“He was one of my favorites,’’ said Ault, a Hall of Fame coach who still is the Big Sky’s all-time leader in wins with 111. “He was one of the most explosive and most physical backs I ever had. He loved, loved to be challenged. The minute you told him he couldn’t do something, he was out to prove you wrong anyway you can.’’
The rushing title was one of many memorable feats by the star runner out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.
Foger was the first player in league history to be named First Team All-Big Sky four times. He remains one of only three to accomplish the feat. Four times he was named an All-American by the Sporting News. He averaged 106.76 rushing yards per game, and scored 52 rushing touchdowns. He was the first freshman in Division I-AA to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
“It’s been a long time, and it’s such a big honor to receive this honor at my age,’’ Foger said. “You don’t look forward to receiving accolades after a certain age. I thank the committee for looking at me and choosing me to be part of this elite group.’’
Foger was selected in the ninth round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He later landed in Pittsburgh, but his career was cut short by injury.
“I was one of Tom Landry’s guys,’’ Foger said. “His scouts came out to test me when I was at UNR. I figured I was going there. Landry got fired and Jimmy Johnson came in and had his own plans. They traded me to Pittsburgh. I loved Pittsburgh. I wish they would have drafted me.’’
Foger has spent 23 years serving on Nevada Senator Harry Reid’s staff. He’s currently Reid’s Regional Deputy Director. He oversees law enforcement and homeland security in southern Nevada, managing about 14 staff members.
Foger is also a member of the Nevada Athletic Commission, serving as an inspector. The group regulates rules in the state for boxing, mixed martial arts, ultimate fighting, and boxing.
His 9-year-old daughter, India, keeps Foger and his wife Wyonna busy these days.
“She is one of the top youth soccer players in Nevada,’’ Foger said. “My focus is on her now. We travel to a lot of soccer tournaments and things of that sort. I live through my daughter now, and all of her accolades.”
Foger remains close to the Nevada football program, and his former coach. Foger is a member of the school’s athletic Hall of Fame, and tries to attend at least two games a year.
Although Nevada left the Big Sky more than 20 years ago, Foger looks back with pride at his days in the conference, and the talent the league had back then.
“I have the opinion that during my time, we were more competitive than the teams in the Big West and the WAC,’’ Foger said. “During that time, I thought we had better talent. We had bigger players. It would have been nice to see what we could have done against teams like Notre Dame and UCLA, just to see if we could have been able to compete.’’
