The six degrees of Dennis Erickson
MSU fans have been familiar with Dennis Erickson’s work ever since John L. Smith came to Michigan State. That’s mostly because Smith’s schemes are largely based on what he learned from Erickson as his assistant coach. Similiar to Jud Heathcote, and now Tom Izzo, Erickson has a long and proud coaching tree of his former assistants.
John Blanchette of The Spokesman-Review examines the roots that Erickson has spread through college football.
“I don’t know if there’s any place I don’t have some connection to the staff,” Erickson admitted. “I go through these press guides and there’s always somebody connected one way or another. Washington with Tim Lappano and Yarbs (Eric Yarber) and (Chris) Tormey. Washington State. Miami – Rich Olson’s still there, and Randy Shannon the defensive coordinator coached for me. Mississippi. Eric Price coached with me at Miami and he’s with his dad at UTEP. Sonny Lubick at Colorado State, of course. It goes on and on.
“That also means I’m just getting old.”
True, anyone with this kind of service time as a head coach in college and the pros is going to have a “family” tree with a good strong trunk and expansive branches. Heck, NFL staffs are growing to be so large that soon every roster player will have his own personal coach, though the practice squad guys may have to share.
But the Erickson tree is unique, on a couple of counts.
This is Erickson’s second stop as Idaho’s head coach. He began his head coaching career with the Vandals in 1981. Jim Meehan of The Spokesman-Review reports that Erickson brings much more experience to Idaho this time around.
When he was hired in December, 1981, Erickson was a first-time head coach and a lousy interior decorator.
“Some stuff from when I was at San Jose State and some from when I played (at Montana State),” Erickson said. “I don’t remember, but I hardly had any pictures.”
When he was hired in February to revitalize the struggling program, Erickson brought back some mementos of what he’s been doing since he left Idaho after the 1985 season. Asked for a tour of the team photos, magazine covers, celebrity snapshots, Heisman Trophy presentations and recaps of his two national championship seasons that adorn the walls, Erickson leans back in his office chair and regales a visitor for 20 minutes.
Ethan Conley from The State News also chimes in with his own Erickson story. He warns that while Erickson is familiar to Smith, his gameplan is unpredictable.
Idaho head coach Dennis Erickson has an impressive college football résumé: a 145-56-1 career coaching record, a .718 winning percentage and two national championships. But MSU head coach John L. Smith said his staff isn’t entirely sure what the Vandals will throw at MSU, despite Erickson’s coaching history being documented so well.Regardless, Smith said his squad anticipates a few surprises when Idaho faces off against MSU at noon on Saturday.
“We have what we think is a pretty good idea of what they’re going to do,” Smith said Monday at his weekly press conference. “Do we know exactly? No.”