JLS isn’t buying Erickson’s “poor me” act
Idaho head coach Dennis Erickson and John L. Smith still talk to each other several times a week and remain good friends after coaching together for several years. At this point, Smith thinks he knows most of Erickson’s tricks.
David Birkett of the Oakland Press writes that Smith isn’t buying Erickson’s crying game this week.
“He’s been crying, singing the blues and all of that,” Smith said. “He’s trying to set me up. It’s like he’s really good on that first tee box so this is his tee box negotiation he’s going through. He thinks I’m going to fall for the fact that ‘We don’t have this, we don’t have that.’ Baloney. They’re going to line up and get after it.”
Smith would be a ball of emotion no matter who Michigan State played in its season opener. But the fact that the Spartans kick off the year Saturday against Erickson, his mentor, and Idaho, the team he used to coach, has Smith especially looking forward to the game.
“It’s a special game for me,” Smith said. “There’s going to be a lot of fans, a lot of friends, a lot of former players, things like that out for the game. And we want to show them that we’re a pretty good club.”
Tim Kirby of the Lansing State Journal also writes about the Smith’s friendship with Erickson.
“He’s got such a great personality,” Erickson said of Smith. “Just the way he deals with those outside the program, and the respect players have for him, is really terrific. He’s a great players’ coach.”
Smith has become more of an offensive-minded coach after focusing on defense with Erickson.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Erickson said. “When he made the switch, he saw what hurt him on the other side of the ball and was able to plan from what he learned on the defensive side.”