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Revision as of 13:45, 21 January 2006 by Glacier109 (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Dennis Erickson (born March 24, 1947, in Everett, Washington) is an American football coach. He has been the head coach of five collegiate football programs and two NFL teams.
Erickson's head coaching career began in 1982, at age 35, when he was hired at the University of Idaho (following a successful stint as Jack Elway's offensive coordinator at San Jose State). Building on his reputation as an offensive innovator, Erickson became Idaho's all-time winningest head coach in just four seasons with the Vandals. He took his "spread offense" with him to Wyoming in 1986 for a single season, returned to the Palouse with Washington State (1987-88) for two, then on to Miami (1989-94) for six, winning national championhips. He was then hired as an NFL head coach, staying for four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (1995-98), then went back to the college level with Oregon State in 1999 for four more, then back to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers (2003-04) for just two.
Erickson was raised in Everett, twenty five miles north of Seattle. His father, "Pinky", was a high school head football coach at Cascade High School. The younger Erickson played quarterback at the rival high school (Everett HS), which "made for some quiet dinners on game day." As a junior he became the starting quarterback, beating out the former starter, senior Mike Price, another future college head coach.
Erickson was an undersized starting quarterback at Montana State, and was a graduate assistant for the Bobcats in 1969. In 1970, at age 23, Erickson became the head coach for at Billings Central High School, staying for just a single season. From 1971 through 1981, he was a collegiate assistant coach (offense) at Montana State (3 yrs.), Idaho (2), Fresno State (3), and San Jose State (3).
Considered a coaching vagabond, Erickson's name has been mentioned in connection with several college head football coaching vacancies, including San Diego State.
References
"Out of Everett," 'The Seattle Times' Pacific Magazine, Sunday, August 13, 1995, p.12-17.
| Preceded byJerry Davitch | University of Idaho Head Football Coach 1982–1985 |
Succeeded byKeith Gilbertson |
| Preceded byAl Kincaid | University of Wyoming Head Football Coach 1986 |
Succeeded byPaul Roach |
| Preceded byJim Walden | Washington State University Head Football Coach 1987–1988 |
Succeeded byMike Price |
| Preceded byJimmy Johnson | University of Miami Head Football Coach 1989–1994 |
Succeeded byButch Davis |
| Preceded byTom Flores | Seattle Seahawks Head Coach 1995–1998 |
Succeeded byMike Holmgren |
| Preceded byMike Riley | Oregon State University Head Football Coach 1999–2003 |
Succeeded byMike Riley |
| Preceded bySteve Mariucci | San Francisco 49ers Head Coach 2003–2005 |
Succeeded byMike Nolan |
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