[Vision2020] Erickson on UI's Short List

Tue Feb 7 07:46:26 PST 2006

Interesting to see Mike Kramer of Montana State being interviewed.  He had 
success at Eastern Washington, he's done well at Montana State, and he's a 
native of the Palouse region.  Born and raised in Colton.  Of course, I was 
born and raised in Moscow, but Rob Spear still hasn't called me about the 
job yet.  Go figure.  Tom asks: "What will Carl and Angelina name their love
child?"  If it's a boy, we'll call him Fritz.  If it's a girl, we'll call 
her Fritz.                                                                   

                                                           Carl Westberg Jr.

>From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
>To: "Moscow Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Erickson on UI's Short List
>Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2006 06:06:44 -0800
>
> >From today's (February 7, 2006) Spokesman Review with my apologies to Mr.
>Carscallen for doubting Dennis Erickson's potential selection to replace
>Nick Holt.
>
>This only leaves one question:  What will Carl and Angelina name their love
>child?
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Erickson on UI's short list
>Vandals to move quickly to replace Holt
>
>Glenn Kasses and Jim Meehan
>Staff writers
>February 7, 2006
>
>MOSCOW - Well before saying its official goodbye to departing head football
>coach Nick Holt, the University of Idaho started the search for his
>replacement.
>
>It's one the Vandals hope will include former head coach Dennis Erickson.
>Erickson's interest level is in question, and he might have NFL
>opportunities still available.
>
>Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said Monday in a news conference he began
>putting together contingency plans two weeks ago and has already started 
>the
>interview process.
>
>Montana State head coach Mike Kramer interviewed Monday, and current Idaho
>assistant head coach Jeff Mills will interview later this week with Holt's
>endorsement. Erickson is not yet scheduled to interview, and he did not
>return multiple calls from The Spokesman-Review.
>
>Names that could surface include Washington offensive coordinator Tim
>Lappano and Arizona assistant coach Kasey Dunn.
>
>Kramer, Lappano and Dunn are all former Idaho players.
>
>Shortly before Spear took the microphone, Holt spoke for a few minutes, 
>then
>left the room without taking questions.
>
>"Two years ago when we first got here this job was not a very good job.
>Nobody wanted it," Holt said.
>
>"The program was in shambles. . Now I think everything is better. After two
>years, this job is a great job."
>
>But Holt never offered a reason for leaving Idaho and taking an assistant
>coaching job with the St. Louis Rams under close friend Scott Linehan. Holt
>also received a substantial raise from his 2005-06 salary of $205,000.
>
>"He told me that it's Scott Linehan," Spear said. "(He's) the reason he's
>leaving."
>
>Both Spear and UI president Tim White underscored the importance of making 
>a
>quick hire, with Spear indicating the Vandals would be ready to announce a
>new coach in 5 to 10 days.
>
>"We are committed to moving thoughtfully and quickly to hiring a new head
>coach," White said. "We are not looking for a placeholder coach. We are
>looking for a coach who has had success at the college level."
>
>Erickson is the most prominent name on Idaho's short list, with NFL head
>coaching stops in Seattle and San Francisco behind him. The 58-year-old
>turned around Idaho's fortunes as head coach from 1982-85, and also coached
>Washington State for two years before leading Miami (Fla.) to national
>championships in 1989 and 1991.
>
>"If it proceeded in (Erickson's) direction, we look back to the early 1980s
>as far as tradition and success of this modern era and that can be directly
>attributed to what Coach Erickson did and what we're trying to re-establish
>here," said Mills, who declined to comment when asked about his own
>candidacy.
>
>"From most people's perspective, if it worked out that he came back as the
>head coach it would be outstanding for this program," Mills added.
>
>The new head coach will have to work with Holt's players and possibly some
>or most of his assistant coaches as well.
>
>Just last week, Idaho welcomed a new recruiting class and Holt said one of
>the main selling points to his new recruits was the continuity on the
>coaching staff.
>
>Monday, Spear was asked if the Vandals would release players from their
>letters of intent.
>
>"When student-athletes commit, they commit to a university," he said. "And
>they committed to the University of Idaho."
>
>One of those recruits, Mead senior Paul Senescall, said he had no desire to
>switch schools.
>
>"I didn't just go there for Coach Holt," Senescall said. "I'm still certain
>it will be a good place for me. It's a business, and you never know, any of
>them (coaches) might leave any day. Whoever they bring in, it'll be OK. I
>just have to play football."
>
>The Vandals do have two other openings on their staff. Running backs coach
>Joel Thomas recently took a job with Purdue and wide receivers coach Chad
>Brown is now on the staff at Northern Colorado.
>
>Putting a lighthearted note on the events of the last week, Spear said:
>
>"The nice thing about it is Nick is eventually going to make a heck of a 
>lot
>of money. He's eventually going to give that back to the Vandals."
>
>And out of the laughter a voice in the back of the room could be heard
>saying, "He better."
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Take care, Moscow.
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
>safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
>sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
>up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"
>
>
>
>
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