Fisher DeBerry can certainly draw a crowd, which makes him the ideal face to greet those entering Falcon Stadium.

With hundreds in attendance on Friday including his wife, Luann, their whole family down to the great-grandkids and a massive throng of former Falcon football players, DeBerry witnessed the unveiling of his statue outside the east entrance to the stadium he patrolled for 26 seasons.

“I’m sure that statue is going to scare a lot of our opponents,” DeBerry said of the monument he thought was perhaps too generous in the physical definition it depicts in an arms-raised-in-touchdown-position pose.

The College Football Hall of Fame coach who won 169 games at Air Force said he graciously declined when he was initially told of the plan to erect his likeness in conjunction with a fundraising initiative to benefit the football program.

“I said, ‘No, that’s not necessary. I had my time and glory. I don’t want to do anything to interfere with (coach) Troy (Calhoun) and his program, and the great job that they’re doing,’” DeBerry said.

But once he was convinced his involvement would actually help the program, the wheels were set in motion and led to a mid-afternoon ceremony under a cloud-covered sky that brought out a who’s who of 1980s-2000s Air Force football.

Former NFL players Chad Hennings and Bryce Fisher, current assistants Mike Thiessen, Jake Campbell and Steed Lobotzke and College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark – all former players under DeBerry – were among those on hand, many wearing their old jerseys.

“It’s awesome to see his statue up there,” said Clark, who played for DeBerry in the coach’s first two seasons and then rose to the rank of Lt. Gen. and served as USAFA’s superintendent. “I just appreciate him as a man. He represents what this academy represents, because for him it was about winning football games, but it was more about developing leaders and creating people that could go out and serve our country in a variety of different ways – people that had character.”

Clark was joined by dozens, if not hundreds, of fellow former Falcons.

“I can’t think of one time (we’ve had so many former players together),” he said. “This is special, but it tells you how special he is.”

As always when DeBerry is involved, the event’s tone alternated frequently between heartfelt reflection and humor.

“To the DeBerry family, coach Lu Ann and Mr. DeBerry, thanks for being here,” said academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Paul Moga, referencing a common refrain of the afternoon that DeBerry’s wife of 61 years was the true driving force of the family.

Calhoun, interim athletic director and Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation CEO Nancy Hixson and Mark Hille, president and CEO of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, took turns honoring DeBerry and his contributions.

“Coach, I just want to say on behalf of everyone here, all the former players, former coaches, everybody, how blessed we are that you’ve impacted our life,” said Calhoun, a 1989 Air Force graduate and former quarterback under DeBerry.

Ceremony host Jim Arthur of 740 AM KVOR and play-by-play announcer for Air Force football and men’s basketball obtained what he called, “The List.” It contained 189 sayings attributed to DeBerry and was, according to program legend, compiled and passed down in secret from team to team.

Most famous among the sayings was one DeBerry repeated Friday: “If you see a turtle on a fence post, just remember one thing – he didn’t get there by himself.”

DeBerry, thanking all of those he leaned on through his career and life, made certain to convey a similar message. It may be his likeness now standing on a pedestal outside Falcon Stadium, but he didn’t get there by himself.

“I’m overwhelmed,” the 88-year-old DeBerry told The Gazette in a brief moment of relative quiet in a day bustling with interactions. “We’ve been blessed.”