| Erickson comes full circle |
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| Written by Keanan Lamb -Argonaut | ||||
| Friday, 24 March 2006 | ||||
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It’s been a long, strange trip for Dennis Erickson since 1982. A lot has changed for the 59-year-old coach since he began his first tenure at Idaho more than 20 years ago. Moscow is bigger, the campus is newer and the faces are unfamiliar, but two things have not changed in that time span: the Kibbie Dome and his passion for winning. “I’m excited to be back in the state and around these people I’ve known for a long time,” Erickson says. “There aren’t many times you have an opportunity to come back and finish where you started.” Erickson’s second stint as Idaho’s football coach begins Saturday with the first of 15 spring football practices, including two public scrimmages. He looks forward to getting back on the field as a college coach for the first time since 2002. “Just being around the players and coaching, the camaraderie of the game,” Erickson says of missing coaching. “Probably the most fun is to see them get better as a football team and as individuals as you go through spring.” UI President Tim White, who also hired Erickson at Oregon State, said at Erickson’s introductory press conference Feb. 6 that the football team was due to have a coach with Erickson’s credentials. “Our student-athletes deserve the opportunity to develop and play under the tutelage of a proven, seasoned and successful head coach,” White said. Erickson is credited as the coach who rejuvenated Vandal football in the early 1980s, spurring multiple winning seasons and Big Sky conference championships. Since then, the program has fallen on tough times and his re-emergence is seen as an opportunity to restore the Vandals to football glory. “When I first came here, it was a great challenge,” Erickson says. “Now I see it as a totally different challenge. The WAC, we’ve got bowl opportunities, we’ve got TV opportunities. It’s totally different than it was when I was here the first time, and, as I said before, that’s why I’m here, because it is a new challenge, and it’s a big challenge, but it’s going to be fun.” Enthusiasm surrounded Erickson’s hiring last month, with season ticket sales climbing dramatically and donations to the Vandal Scholarship Fund much higher than usual. His impact at the university has been felt beyond the field. UI athletic director Rob Spear described Erickson’s hiring as, “the next chapter in Vandal athletic history.” With all the fanfare and excitement even before his return to the field, Erickson looks forward to finally getting back to coaching. “I’m very excited about getting on the field,” Erickson says. “All the coaches are excited, particularly me, because I want to see where we are and what we’re going to have to do to continue to make this program better and better.” Spring practices start at 10 a.m. Saturday and culminate with the annual Silver and Gold Game at 7 p.m. April 21.  Add as favorites (34) | Views: 1045
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