Dennis Erickson - Football Coach - University of Utah Athletics

Dennis Erickson

Title:
Assistant Head Coach/Runningbacks
Email:
derickson@huntsman.utah.edu

Dennis Erickson

Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs
4th Year

Coaching Experience

2013-              Utah
2015-              Assistant Head Coach
                         Running Backs
2014                Running Backs
2013                Co-Offensive Coordinator
                         Running Backs
2007-11          Arizona State
                         Head Coach
2006                Idaho
                         Head Coach
2003-05          San Francisco 49ers
                         Head Coach
1999-2002     Oregon State
                         Head Coach
1995-98          Seattle Seahawks
                         Head Coach
1989-94          Miami (Fla.)
                         Head Coach
1987-88          Washington State
                         Head Coach
1986                Wyoming
                         Head Coach
1982-85          Idaho
                         Head Coach
1979-81          San Jose State
                         Offensive Coordinator
1976-78          Fresno State
                         Offensive Coordinator
1974-75          Idaho
                         Offensive Coordinator
1971-73          Montana State
                         Running Backs
1970                Billings Central HS (Mont.)
                         Head Coach
1969                Montana State
                         Graduate Assistant

Bowl Games
2015                Las Vegas Bowl
2014                Las Vegas Bowl
2011                Las Vegas Bowl
2007                Holiday Bowl
2002                Insight Bowl
2000                Fiesta Bowl
1999                Oahu Bowl
1994                Orange Bowl
1993                Fiesta Bowl
1992                Sugar Bowl
1991                Orange Bowl
1990                Cotton Bowl
1989                Sugar Bowl
1988                Aloha Bowl

               Dennis Erickson, who amassed a 179-96-1 record and won two national championships in 23 seasons as a college head coach, is now in his fourth year as a Utah assistant and his second as the assistant head coach. Erickson also coaches the running backs.
               Erickson helped develop junior college transfer Devontae Booker into a two-time All-Pac-12 selection and a 1,000-yard rusher in back-to-back seasons in 2014-15. A fourth-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos after his senior season, Booker set Utah career records for rushing average (120.6) and 100-yard rushing games (14, tied).
               Erickson joined the Utah staff in 2013 as the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach after a brief one-year retirement from coaching.
               The legendary coach won national titles in 1989 and 1991 at Miami (Fla.) and was the 2000 Sporting News National Coach of the Year at Oregon State. He has been the head coach at six universities—three of them Pac-12 schools (Washington State, Oregon State and Arizona State)—and with two NFL teams (Seattle and San Francisco). He has coached in 14 bowl games.
               Erickson is the only person to win Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors at three schools—sharing the honor in 1988 at Washington State, and winning it outright in 2000 at OSU and in 2007 at ASU. He was also the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year while at Idaho and a three-time Big East Conference Coach of the Year at Miami.
               Erickson has coached 16 first-team All-Americans in his career (six consensus) and he has had players win the Heisman Trophy and Outland Trophy, as well as the Lou Groza, Lombardi, Davey O’Brien, Johnny Unitas and Bronko Nagurski awards. Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.
               Erickson got his head coaching start at Idaho from 1982-85 before taking the reins at Wyoming (1986) and Washington State (1987-88). A 9-3 season in 1988 that included a win over No. 1-ranked UCLA landed Erickson the job at Miami. He coached the Hurricanes for six seasons (1989-94), winning two national championships and three Big East titles (Miami was an independent his first two seasons).
               From Miami, where he compiled an impressive 63-9 record, he became the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. After four seasons and a 31-33 mark in Seattle from 1995-98, he returned to the college ranks as the head coach at Oregon State. The Beavers went 7-5 in 1999 for their first winning season in 29 years and followed up with an 11-1 season in 2000 that culminated with a Fiesta Bowl win against Notre Dame. Erickson finished his OSU tenure from 1999-2002 with a 31-17 mark and returned to the NFL as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
               He spent two seasons with the 49ers before returning to the Idaho football helm. Arizona State lured Erickson away a year later and he led the Sun Devils to a share of the Pac-10 title in his first season. He went 31-31 at ASU from 2007-2011.
               Erickson was the offensive coordinator at San Jose State (1979-81), Fresno State (1976-1978) and Idaho (1974-1975), the running backs coach at Montana State (1971-1973), Billings Central High School’s head coach (1970) and a Montana State graduate assistant (1969).
               In 2005, he was inducted into the Miami Athletic Hall of Fame.

Playing Career
A two-time all-Big Sky quarterback who lettered for Montana State from 1966-68, he was an honorable mention All-American as a senior.

Education
Montana State, 1970
Bachelor’s in physical education

Personal Data
Hometown: Everett, Wash.
Birthdate: March 24, 1947
Family: Wife Marilyn. Sons Bryce and Ryan