'A historic head coach': Ernst leaves lasting legacy on players, Ripon College football program

RIPON – Ron Ernst walked off Ingalls Field for the final time Saturday the same way he had done many times before – as a winner.

Ernst, the all-time winningest football coach in Ripon College and Midwest Conference history, announced before the season he would retire following the end of this season after 32 years with the Red Hawks.

Ripon beat Lawrence 82-0 to finish the season with a 9-1 record, including 8-1 in the conference, and give Ernst a career record of 193-114.

“I’ve been doing it for 32 years and there’s some elements of the job that I still really, really, really enjoy, but then there are elements of the job that I was just getting tired of,” Ernst said. “Plus, I guess at the age that I’m at I’m old enough to retire. I feel like I can retire and yet feel young enough that I can still do some other things that I would like to do. So, I thought it was time, about that time to do it after 32 years.”

Ernst said his retirement plans will mostly include traveling with his wife and fixing up their house, along with watching his grandkids participate in their various sports.

“We both love to travel. We’ve traveled to Europe, we’ve traveled all over the country,” he said. “I have eight grandkids. The oldest one is a freshman in high school. He plays football, baseball, in fact all my grandkids are in sports. I’m just going to enjoy the heck out of following them and watching them play and enjoy that part of life being able to do that.”

After arriving in 1991 to a then-struggling football program, Ernst subsequently led Ripon College to 27 winning seasons, including this year, claiming three straight MWC North Division titles (1995-1997) in addition to two MWC championships (1996 and 2001). Ernst has produced three Private College Players of the Year: Bill Schultz in 1997, Troy DeVoe in 2002 and Josh Kraemer in 2009.

Ernst was named MWC coach of the year in 1996 when he led the team to a 9-1 season, a feat he accomplished again in 2000 and this season. He was honored as the NCAA Division III Region 5 coach of the year in 1995 and the Wisconsin Football Private College coach of the year on three occasions (2001, 2008 and 2010). In 2006, Ernst was inducted into the Ripon College Hall of Fame and in March 2009 he earned a spot in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

In addition to his role as head coach and defensive coordinator of the football team, Ernst also serves as assistant athletic director and a professor in the Department of Exercise Science. In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, he served as the sports information director for a limited time, as well as head golf coach.

“Ron has dedicated most of his professional life to Ripon College and the Ripon College football program, and he has left a significant and lasting impact on both our school and our team,” said director of athletics Ryan Kane.

Since his football coaching career began in 1980 at Osceola High School in Osceola, Nebraska, Ernst has had a knack for turning around programs in disarray. By his second season in Osceola, the Bulldogs had won a conference championship and were ranked third in the region.

In 1982, he moved on to Fort Calhoun High School in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, a program that never had a winning season. By his third season, the Pioneers won a conference championship, qualified for the state playoffs and were ranked eighth in the state in their division.

Ernst spent four seasons in Fort Calhoun before moving on to Greeley Central High School in Greeley, Colorado. He grabbed the reins of a program that hadn’t had a winning season in more than 20 years but by his second year the Wildcats were Northern Conference champions and finished the season in the state semifinals. In 1987, Ernst was named Colorado AAA coach of the year by the Denver Post.

Before his tenure began at Ripon, Ernst coached defensive line at the University of Northern Colorado from 1988 to 1990. The Golden Bears qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs in his final season.

With four decades of coaching under his belt, there have undoubtedly been many experiences and memories Ernst has cherished but he said the first championships he claimed at Ripon in the mid-1990s top the list due to the work that was put in to turn around yet another program.

“I took over this program when it wasn’t in great shape,” Ernst said. “We really had to kind of start from scratch and we built it up to within four, five years we had won the division championship (1995) and we won a conference championship (1996).”

Ernst also gave special recognition to the current group of players he’s coached the past few seasons.

“We were preseason picked fourth in the league,” he said of this year's team. “These kids have had just an amazing year. They’ve been one of, if not, the most fun group of kids that I’ve coached since being here. So, the ’96 championship team – our first one – and obviously all the great relationships you have with the kids you coach over the years, and this team. Those are the big ones.”

One thing for certain is the admiration and respect Ernst has earned from the athletes who have played for him.

“As a coach he’s super energetic, even though he is one of the older guys,” said wide receiver Kaipo Magsayo. “He brings a lot of energy to the field, to practice, whatever it is. Even just in team meetings he’s always energetic and excited to see us. As a person, he’s super easy to go up and talk to. He’s very welcoming. The first day I met him he just started treating me like family right away. Being a person like that, I knew I could come to him about anything. I love having him as a coach or even just talking to him outside of football. It’s meant a lot.

“I’m just really glad that we get to end it with him. I’m happy for him. He’s had a really good career and I’m excited to see what he does afterwards.”

Senior defensive lineman and Madison native Quincy DiLoreto said it has meant everything to him playing for Ernst because of how much fun practices are and the amount of love he shows everyone.

“I’m a defensive guy and he’s obviously been the defensive coordinator, so to play underneath him has just been amazing,” DiLoreto said. “As a coach he’s a little old school, but he incorporates a little new school too. I think that’s a really good balance. Just being with the defense, the way he can get fired up sometimes helps motivate us to do our best. The way he runs his practices and the way that he just genuinely cares about us on and off the field, it’s meant everything. It really helps to build that atmosphere and culture around this program. To have a figure like that in your life, it’s great.”

Added senior wide receiver Parker Campana: “Coach Ernst is a historic head coach. He’s always willing to compete and that’s what I like most about him because I’m always the person that’s willing to compete. He’s always looking for the best in each and every player, no matter if you’re a first string, second string or even a scout team guy. Coming from San Diego, I really didn’t know what this place was going to be for me and I had to come to his office multiple times to ask him questions about what the city and program is like. He just welcomed me like family. To play for him throughout my past four years, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Ernst's impact on players, Ripon College football program 'historic'