Name coach power?

DeepGreen · February 17, 2006

From the WAC board...

Idaho football sales booming

By John K. Wiley ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

Feb 10, 2006, 06:00 am

MOSCOW, Idaho -- Nothing like a little star power to get people into the Kibbie Dome.

After six consecutive losing seasons, Idaho has lured former coach Dennis Erickson back to the Palouse, bringing instant cachet to the Vandals' woeful football program.

Rob Spear has been athletic director for only two years, but is savvy enough to know the well-traveled Erickson, who turned around the fortunes of Idaho and Washington State in the 1980s and Oregon State in the late 1990s, is a legend in these parts.

The Vandals already are getting a return on their investment in the 58-year-old Erickson, Spear said Thursday. Erickson was signed Wednesday to a five-year contract, worth a maximum $1.5 million, including incentives.

"It's unbelievable. Our ticket sales are going like hotcakes," Spear said, noting the school's athletics Web site was temporarily shut down by increased activity on Wednesday.

About 3,500 season nonstudent tickets were sold last season. In two days this week after Erickson's hiring was first reported as a possibility, 350 season tickets were sold, Spear said.

"Better tell people to buy their season tickets soon," he said.

John Yarno, a first team All-America lineman who played for the Vandals when Erickson was an assistant coach here in the mid-'70s, predicted "The Dennis Erickson Show" in the 17,000-seat wooden dome will become the biggest draw in Moscow.

"It's not always easy to be an Idaho Vandal. They are always kind of the underdog," Yarno said. " ... But getting Dennis Erickson has gotten everybody's attention."

News of Erickson's return sent a jolt through the Vandal faithful.

"We just had people calling and saying they haven't had season tickets for five years, now they're getting tickets," Spear said after Erickson was introduced as the Vandals new head coach. "They said they haven't contributed to the scholarship program in five years and now they want to contribute to that, too." Idaho athletic officials met Thursday afternoon to map a marketing strategy for their new attraction, including newspaper advertisements touting Erickson.

For Erickson, the job offers a chance to get back to his first love: coaching college football players.

He was 144-57-1 as a head coach at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami and Oregon State. His Miami teams won national championships in 1989 and 1991. He built a reputation for building winners from foundering programs.

"Back in '82 when I got here (as head coach), it was all about the Big Sky Conference and I-AA, and we had a great deal of success in that atmosphere," Erickson said Wednesday. "Now it's about winning the WAC championship ... that's what it's all about. Now it's about competing in Division I, and taking it to another level."

Idaho is entering its second season in the Western Athletic Conference. The Vandals were 5-18 in two years under departing coach Nick Holt, including 2-9 last season.

"It's not always easy to be an Idaho Vandal. They are always kind of the underdog... But getting Dennis Erickson has gotten everybody's attention."

-- John Yarno

Former Idaho Vandal who played when Dennis Erickson was an assistant there in the mid-'70s.

NT80 · February 17, 2006

"It's unbelievable. Our ticket sales are going like hotcakes," Spear said, noting the school's athletics Web site was temporarily shut down by increased activity on Wednesday.
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Selling football tickets in February?...and they are going like Hotcakes? Hummm wonder why....

Edited February 17, 2006 by NT80

Huff · February 17, 2006

This would be the equivalent of Hayden Fry returning to North Texas.

SilverEagle · February 17, 2006

This would be the equivalent of Hayden Fry returning to North Texas.
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Yep.

FirefightnRick · February 18, 2006

Erickson said Wednesday. "Now it's about winning the WAC championship ... that's what it's all about. Now it's about competing in Division I, and taking it to another level."
I like his expectations. They will probably go into their annual game with Wazzu or UW and get a win this year.
Rick

NT80 · February 19, 2006

Much of it is about getting the fans and players to have the correct MENTAL attitide. If you believe you can take it to another level, you can. We haven't had that in a while.