MONMOUTH, Ore. – Legendary coach Carl "Duke" Iverson, who coached at Western Oregon University on two different occasions, passed away early Thursday morning.
"It is so sudden, Duke would still come by every week to see what was going on to check in on things. He was usually involved with the program and the success throughout the years. Just a sad day for Western Oregon football. Duke brought the modern passing game to Western Oregon. He kept in touch with all of his past players and just enjoyed being around people and coaching. He was very successful, smart and cared about people and the relationships he had with players. Duke just loved the game of football and always trying to help anyway he could," WOU football head coach Arne Ferguson said. "The shocking thing for me, is I expected him to be around for another 40 years. He looks the same as he did when he was coaching years ago. He was always sharp mentally and this is a shock. I can't say enough about everything that he has done for me and WOU."
Iverson spent two different tenures as the head coach of the Wolves football program, first arriving in 1985 and coaching until 1987. He then returned back to Monmouth in 2001 coaching until 2004. He finished his career with 34 wins. Iverson sits fourth in program history in career victories since 1923.
Throughout his first run with the Wolves from 1985-87, Iverson posted a pair of strong seasons going 8-2 in 1985 and 7-2 in 1986. The 1985 team finished second in conference and reached the NAIA Division I Quarterfinals. He then went on to coach at Western Colorado for 12 seasons picking up 79 wins before returning for his final three seasons at WOU adding 10 more wins during that time. Iverson helped Western Colorado reach the postseason on four occasions, including three trips to the NCAA playoffs. Throughout his 21 years of coaching football at Black Hills State, Western Colorado and Western Oregon he went 126-84-3. Iverson tallied 15 seasons winning at least five games in a season, winning at least seven in a season on 10 occasions and reaching a high of 10 wins in a season in 1991 with Western Colorado. He collected eight conference championships and was named the NAIA Division I Coach of the Year (1991) and RMAC Coach of the Year twice (1996 and 1997).
Iverson was inducted to the Western Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. Iverson, a native of the Pacific Northwest, graduated from Whitman College in Walla, Walla, Wash., in 1962 while also competing for the football team.
