49ers Clubhouse

San Francisco Chronicle

Erickson gets the call

February 12, 2003

49ers give five years, $12.5 million
The 49ers' prolonged, methodical and somewhat mysterious four-week search for a head coach ended Tuesday with the hiring of Oregon State's Dennis Erickson.
The 49ers had announced they had three "finalists," all NFL assistants without head-coaching experience. Their search then took an odd twist with the landing of Erickson, 55. He will be introduced as the coach at a news conference today in San Francisco.
A head coach at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami and Oregon State in college and with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL, Erickson is extremely experienced.
Many believed the 49ers would choose among NFL defensive coordinators Ted Cottrell (Jets), Greg Blache (Bears) and Jim Mora Jr. (49ers) because the team wouldn't have to pay them relatively much. Sources said the 49ers were offering between $1.2 million and $1.5 million a year.
The 49ers enticed Erickson with a five-year, $12.5-million deal, according to two sources. That's more than the $2.2 million Steve Mariucci was going to earn next season if he hadn't been fired Jan. 15.
For Erickson, it means a huge increase from the $1.1 million he was due to make this year in Corvallis, Ore.
"It's another great opportunity for me to get back and coach in the NFL," Erickson told the Corvallis Gazette-Times in today's editions. "I've got that (sore) spot right now from what happened before. I just had that desire to get back in there and be successful."
Erickson was referring to his four-year stint as head coach of the Seahawks (1995-1998) under the tumultuous ownership of Northern California developer Ken Behring.
Erickson had little control, and practically no communication with Behring, who had a reputation for being particularly frugal. After firing Erickson, Behring eventually sold the team to software billionaire Paul Allen.
According to a source, Erickson was well received by 49ers owner John York, who met with him and general manager Terry Donahue in the Bay Area on Saturday night.
The three met again Monday in Portland, when they apparently finalized Erickson's deal.
A source said York was impressed that Erickson wanted open lines of communication, something that was at times lacking between York and Mariucci.
In the meetings, York and Donahue liked Erickson's cool demeanor and immense reservoir of football knowledge.
As a college coach, Erickson led the Miami Hurricanes to national championships in the 1989 and 1991 seasons. He then coached the Seahawks before spending the past four years at Oregon State.
He turned around a dreadful Beavers program that had 28 straight losing seasons. The Beavers hadn't appeared in a bowl since 1965.
During Erickson's tenure, the Beavers went 31-17 and appeared in three bowl games, including the Fiesta Bowl following the 2000 season. They blasted Notre Dame 41-9 and finished fourth in the nation in the Associated Press poll.
"Dennis Erickson has a long history of coaching winning teams and I am confident he will succeed in San Francisco," Donahue said in a statement.
Practically the only place Erickson didn't succeed was in Seattle, where he compiled a 31-33 record -- identical to the mark of current Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
As a native of nearby Everett, Wash., Erickson was hailed as a hometown hero when he came to the Seahawks.
The honeymoon ended abruptly, when Erickson was arrested for a DUI in the spring of '95. One of his first official acts as the Seahawks' coach was to apologize for his transgression.
Erickson hasn't had any publicized alcohol-related problems since then, and he convinced York and Donahue that those troubles are behind him.
On the field, Erickson greatly improved the Seattle offense, which ranked first in the NFL in passing in 1997.
Everywhere Erickson has coached, he has created a spread offense employing three, four or five wide receivers most of the time -- dramatically different from the Bill Walsh-fashioned West Coast offense.
Erickson's hiring has the 49ers' offensive coaches who are under contract -- offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner and offensive line coach Pat Morris -- wondering if they will be retained.
Knapp, particularly, is in an awkward position after receiving a new contract a few weeks ago and being assured that he had control of the offense.
Donahue said at the beginning of his search that he wanted to retain the West Coast offense, but that could change.
Erickson probably will meet with the 49ers' coaching staff on Thursday.
The 49ers' search began with great interest in Holmgren, and then shifted to Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Sources said the 49ers were willing to present contract offers to both men.
After the very public interviewing of Cottrell, Mora and Blache, University of Washington coach Rick Neuheisel became a candidate.
Erickson, however, was never far from Donahue's mind, and the two apparently talked early in the search.
"Our course of action was exhaustive, it was thorough, and it was aimed at finding the best possible coach for this football team," Donahue said. "We are confident that coach Erickson is a key piece of the puzzle that will make this team a contender for a championship."
Cottrell and Mora took the news gallantly. "I'm disappointed but not discouraged," Cottrell told the New York Daily News. "I got the silver medal again."
Cottrell has interviewed for NFL head-coaching jobs seven times and not landed the position.
"I'm disappointed, but I'm a big boy," said Mora, who isn't sure if he'll stay with the 49ers, or go to the Panthers or Lions, who have defensive- coordinator jobs waiting for him. "I really only have positives to say. I thought they were fair and honest all the way through. Anyone who questions the process shouldn't. They set a course and they followed it."
THE ERICKSON FILE
-- Born: March 24, 1947, in Everett, Wash. His parents, Robert "Pink" Erickson and Mary Erickson, still live in Everett. His father was a highly successful high school football coach.
- College: Three-year starter at quarterback at Montana State University. Honorable mention All-American as a senior in 1968. Also the holder for future NFL Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud.
- Coaching record: 136-52-1 in college; 31-33 in NFL with Seattle.
- Personal: Erickson and his wife, Marilyn, have two sons, Bryce, 26, and Ryan, 24.
- Quote: "The thing I liked about (Erickson) was his wide-open offense. . . . He brings an offense that's going to get the ball down the field." -- Warren Moon, quarterback for Erickson with Seahawks
HOW ERICKSON STACKS UP
-- $4 million and above: Spurrier; Mariucci; Mike Holmgren, Seattle; Bill Parcells, Dallas; Mike Shanahan, Denver. -- $3 million and above: Gruden; Mike Martz, St. Louis; Dick Vermeil, Kansas City; Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh; Brian Billick, Baltimore; Butch Davis, Cleveland; Jeff Fisher, Tennessee; Mike Sherman, Green Bay; Dan Reeves, Atlanta; Jim Haslett, New Orleans. -- $2 million and above: Andy Reid, Philadelphia; Jim Fassel, N.Y. Giants; Tony Dungy, Indianapolis; Bill Belichick, New England; Dick Jauron, Chicago; Dennis Erickson, 49ers; Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego. -- $1 million and above: Herman Edwards, N.Y. Jets; Dom Capers, Houston; Dave Wannstedt, Miami; Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati; John Fox, Carolina; Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville; Bill Callahan, Oakland; Gregg Williams, Buffalo; Dave McGinnis, Arizona. -- Under $1 million: Mike Tice, Minnesota.

Tell us what you think on the new 49ers Clubhouse message board.

49ers give five years, $12.5 million

The 49ers' prolonged, methodical and somewhat mysterious four-week search for a head coach ended Tuesday with the hiring of Oregon State's Dennis Erickson.

The 49ers had announced they had three "finalists," all NFL assistants without head-coaching experience. Their search then took an odd twist with the landing of Erickson, 55. He will be introduced as the coach at a news conference today in San Francisco.

A head coach at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami and Oregon State in college and with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL, Erickson is extremely experienced.

Many believed the 49ers would choose among NFL defensive coordinators Ted Cottrell (Jets), Greg Blache (Bears) and Jim Mora Jr. (49ers) because the team wouldn't have to pay them relatively much. Sources said the 49ers were offering between $1.2 million and $1.5 million a year.

The 49ers enticed Erickson with a five-year, $12.5-million deal, according to two sources. That's more than the $2.2 million Steve Mariucci was going to earn next season if he hadn't been fired Jan. 15.

For Erickson, it means a huge increase from the $1.1 million he was due to make this year in Corvallis, Ore.

"It's another great opportunity for me to get back and coach in the NFL," Erickson told the Corvallis Gazette-Times in today's editions. "I've got that (sore) spot right now from what happened before. I just had that desire to get back in there and be successful."

Erickson was referring to his four-year stint as head coach of the Seahawks (1995-1998) under the tumultuous ownership of Northern California developer Ken Behring.

Erickson had little control, and practically no communication with Behring, who had a reputation for being particularly frugal. After firing Erickson, Behring eventually sold the team to software billionaire Paul Allen.

According to a source, Erickson was well received by 49ers owner John York, who met with him and general manager Terry Donahue in the Bay Area on Saturday night.

The three met again Monday in Portland, when they apparently finalized Erickson's deal.

A source said York was impressed that Erickson wanted open lines of communication, something that was at times lacking between York and Mariucci.

In the meetings, York and Donahue liked Erickson's cool demeanor and immense reservoir of football knowledge.

As a college coach, Erickson led the Miami Hurricanes to national championships in the 1989 and 1991 seasons. He then coached the Seahawks before spending the past four years at Oregon State.

He turned around a dreadful Beavers program that had 28 straight losing seasons. The Beavers hadn't appeared in a bowl since 1965.

During Erickson's tenure, the Beavers went 31-17 and appeared in three bowl games, including the Fiesta Bowl following the 2000 season. They blasted Notre Dame 41-9 and finished fourth in the nation in the Associated Press poll.

"Dennis Erickson has a long history of coaching winning teams and I am confident he will succeed in San Francisco," Donahue said in a statement.

Practically the only place Erickson didn't succeed was in Seattle, where he compiled a 31-33 record -- identical to the mark of current Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

As a native of nearby Everett, Wash., Erickson was hailed as a hometown hero when he came to the Seahawks.

The honeymoon ended abruptly, when Erickson was arrested for a DUI in the spring of '95. One of his first official acts as the Seahawks' coach was to apologize for his transgression.

Erickson hasn't had any publicized alcohol-related problems since then, and he convinced York and Donahue that those troubles are behind him.

On the field, Erickson greatly improved the Seattle offense, which ranked first in the NFL in passing in 1997.

Everywhere Erickson has coached, he has created a spread offense employing three, four or five wide receivers most of the time -- dramatically different from the Bill Walsh-fashioned West Coast offense.

Erickson's hiring has the 49ers' offensive coaches who are under contract -- offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner and offensive line coach Pat Morris -- wondering if they will be retained.

Knapp, particularly, is in an awkward position after receiving a new contract a few weeks ago and being assured that he had control of the offense.

Donahue said at the beginning of his search that he wanted to retain the West Coast offense, but that could change.

Erickson probably will meet with the 49ers' coaching staff on Thursday.

The 49ers' search began with great interest in Holmgren, and then shifted to Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Sources said the 49ers were willing to present contract offers to both men.

After the very public interviewing of Cottrell, Mora and Blache, University of Washington coach Rick Neuheisel became a candidate.

Erickson, however, was never far from Donahue's mind, and the two apparently talked early in the search.

"Our course of action was exhaustive, it was thorough, and it was aimed at finding the best possible coach for this football team," Donahue said. "We are confident that coach Erickson is a key piece of the puzzle that will make this team a contender for a championship."

Cottrell and Mora took the news gallantly. "I'm disappointed but not discouraged," Cottrell told the New York Daily News. "I got the silver medal again."

Cottrell has interviewed for NFL head-coaching jobs seven times and not landed the position.

"I'm disappointed, but I'm a big boy," said Mora, who isn't sure if he'll stay with the 49ers, or go to the Panthers or Lions, who have defensive- coordinator jobs waiting for him. "I really only have positives to say. I thought they were fair and honest all the way through. Anyone who questions the process shouldn't. They set a course and they followed it."

THE ERICKSON FILE

-- Born: March 24, 1947, in Everett, Wash. His parents, Robert "Pink" Erickson and Mary Erickson, still live in Everett. His father was a highly successful high school football coach.

- College: Three-year starter at quarterback at Montana State University. Honorable mention All-American as a senior in 1968. Also the holder for future NFL Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud.

- Coaching record: 136-52-1 in college; 31-33 in NFL with Seattle.

- Personal: Erickson and his wife, Marilyn, have two sons, Bryce, 26, and Ryan, 24.

- Quote: "The thing I liked about (Erickson) was his wide-open offense. . . . He brings an offense that's going to get the ball down the field." -- Warren Moon, quarterback for Erickson with Seahawks

HOW ERICKSON STACKS UP

-- $4 million and above: Spurrier; Mariucci; Mike Holmgren, Seattle; Bill Parcells, Dallas; Mike Shanahan, Denver. -- $3 million and above: Gruden; Mike Martz, St. Louis; Dick Vermeil, Kansas City; Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh; Brian Billick, Baltimore; Butch Davis, Cleveland; Jeff Fisher, Tennessee; Mike Sherman, Green Bay; Dan Reeves, Atlanta; Jim Haslett, New Orleans. -- $2 million and above: Andy Reid, Philadelphia; Jim Fassel, N.Y. Giants; Tony Dungy, Indianapolis; Bill Belichick, New England; Dick Jauron, Chicago; Dennis Erickson, 49ers; Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego. -- $1 million and above: Herman Edwards, N.Y. Jets; Dom Capers, Houston; Dave Wannstedt, Miami; Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati; John Fox, Carolina; Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville; Bill Callahan, Oakland; Gregg Williams, Buffalo; Dave McGinnis, Arizona. -- Under $1 million: Mike Tice, Minnesota.

Tell us what you think on the new 49ers Clubhouse message board.