GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --

Dennis Erickson was hired Tuesday by the San Francisco 49ers to replace Steve Mariucci as coach in a surprising end to a search that stretched nearly four weeks.

Erickson will be introduced as the 49ers' 14th head coach at a news conference on Wednesday. The former Seattle Seahawks coach leaves Oregon State, where he went 31-17 over the last four seasons.

Mariucci, who was fired by owner John York on Jan. 15 despite leading San Francisco to four playoff berths in six seasons, signed a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions last week.

Erickson, who will turn 56 next month, is an unexpected choice for San Francisco, which had concentrated its search on NFL defensive coaches since York surprised his front office by firing Mariucci.

The search was praised by the candidates as deliberate and thorough, though Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia called it "embarrassing" for its apparent lack of direction.

General manager Terry Donahue always said he planned to consider college head coaches in his search, which he conducted largely from his home in Newport Beach, Calif. Earlier, several college coaches said they weren't interested, including Washington coach Rick Neuheisel and Southern California coach Pete Carroll.

Donahue and Erickson didn't immediately return calls on Tuesday.

Erickson is just the 49ers' fourth coach since 1979, following Bill Walsh and George Seifert -- who both won Super Bowls -- and Mariucci. Erickson also is the first coach with prior NFL head coaching experience to take over the 49ers since Norman "Red" Strader in 1955.

Erickson coached the Seahawks from 1995-98, going 31-33 -- the same record of current Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, who briefly was thought to be a candidate for the 49ers' job.

Many thought Erickson deserved better in his native Seattle, where he rebuilt the Seahawks but couldn't make the playoffs. The Seahawks were denied a playoff berth in 1998 only by a season-ending loss to the New York Jets in which Vinny Testaverde was infamously awarded a touchdown when he never crossed the goal line -- a play that helped spur the NFL to reintroduce instant replay.

Erickson's greatest success has been in college, where he has turned four schools into winners. Before resurrecting a formerly moribund program at Oregon State, Erickson won national titles at the University of Miami in 1989 and 1991, going 63-9 over six seasons. He also has coached at Idaho, Wyoming and Washington State.

Erickson said upon his hiring in 1999 that he wanted to retire at Oregon State, but he is the second straight coach to leave Corvallis for an NFL job. Mike Riley left for the San Diego Chargers four years ago.

New York Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, Chicago defensive coordinator Greg Blache and San Francisco defensive coordinator Jim Mora interviewed for the job in Santa Clara last week. The 49ers also seriously considered Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who re-signed with the Buccaneers after the Super Bowl.

Cottrell, who signed a two-year extension to remain the Jets' defensive coordinator if he did not get the 49ers' job, felt he was treated fairly by the 49ers.

"I was informed today by Terry Donahue that they decided to hire Dennis Erickson as the next 49ers head coach," Cottrell said. "While it's obviously disappointing, I'd like to thank Dr. York, Terry Donahue and the entire 49ers staff for their professionalism throughout the interviewing process."

Blache said that while he was disappointed he did not get the job, he believed the 49ers gave him a fair shot.

"I feel good about the process," he said, also dismissing the suggestion he was interviewed simply because he is black.

"For me to say I was paraded around, used, I can't believe that," he said. "I walk away from it feeling like they did things in good faith."

Mariucci was fired despite four 10-win seasons with a remarkably brief rebuilding period in between. York had a difference in philosophy with Mariucci, who led the 49ers to a 10-6 record, the NFC West title and a playoff victory over the New York Giants this past season.

Erickson is unlikely to demand a larger role in the organization, as York claimed Mariucci wanted. York has applied a strictly regimented business plan to the 49ers in which every employee has a clearly defined role -- and the owner felt Mariucci wanted to breach those boundaries by taking a role in player personnel, though Mariucci flatly denied it.

Three offensive assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, are under contract to the 49ers for next season, and Donahue has said he wants to keep running the West Coast offense in its birthplace. Donahue also acknowledged his new coach would have the final say on such matters.

Mora is under contract for next season, but he already interviewed with the Carolina Panthers for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Mariucci also might try to hire Mora in Detroit.

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