What years did Dennis Erickson coach at Washington State? Wasn't he one of the better coaches Washinton State has had? I know Mike Price was pretty good too.
Dennis Erickson?
- Thread starter SchmidtyNole
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Thumbnail history (opinionated, abridged edition):
Dennis the Menace did well at Idaho, introducing a spread offense…new concept at the time. Walden copied portions at WSU and termed the formation/set "Idaho" (a sincere form of flattery). When Walden went to ISU, Dennis was a logical selection to replace him. His first team did poorly; worse than they should have done. The second did well; probably better than they should have done, including a national TV upset of the team ranked #1 at that time (UCLA). Then Miami waved various things at him (animal, vegetable and mineral) and he left, leaving us with Mike Price. Throughout his career Dennis never showed any loyalty to his employer, but he did show a lot of loyalty to his assistants, whether they were up to snuff or not…which cost him several times, and in the opinion of some (and I agree) was what ultimately cost him his job in the NFL. Mike P and Dennis E shared many characteristics, but Price was better with direct management skills if not as good with offensive creativity. Price was a great temperamental & personality fit for WSU, and if he hadn't succumbed to temptation twice (going to Alabama in the first place, and having the hubris to think that his drinking problem would be as well covered there as in Pullman), he probably would have successfully finished out his career…somewhere other than UTEP.
Dennis the Menace did well at Idaho, introducing a spread offense…new concept at the time. Walden copied portions at WSU and termed the formation/set "Idaho" (a sincere form of flattery). When Walden went to ISU, Dennis was a logical selection to replace him. His first team did poorly; worse than they should have done. The second did well; probably better than they should have done, including a national TV upset of the team ranked #1 at that time (UCLA). Then Miami waved various things at him (animal, vegetable and mineral) and he left, leaving us with Mike Price. Throughout his career Dennis never showed any loyalty to his employer, but he did show a lot of loyalty to his assistants, whether they were up to snuff or not…which cost him several times, and in the opinion of some (and I agree) was what ultimately cost him his job in the NFL. Mike P and Dennis E shared many characteristics, but Price was better with direct management skills if not as good with offensive creativity. Price was a great temperamental & personality fit for WSU, and if he hadn't succumbed to temptation twice (going to Alabama in the first place, and having the hubris to think that his drinking problem would be as well covered there as in Pullman), he probably would have successfully finished out his career…somewhere other than UTEP.
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