Download PDF - University of Idaho Library
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A winning<br />
beginning<br />
... Pat Dobratz, head<br />
women's basketball<br />
coach, succeeds with ...<br />
A style all her owu<br />
page 210<br />
... Strong backrounds from<br />
high school sports give<br />
intramural athletes ...<br />
The competltlve edge<br />
page 214<br />
... With hard work and<br />
enthusiasm, <strong>Idaho</strong>'s<br />
cheerleaders become ...<br />
Sideline spirit-lifters<br />
paqe 216<br />
... ln only their second year<br />
as halftime entertainers,<br />
the Golden Girls are ...<br />
Steppin' out<br />
page 218<br />
by Clint Kendrick<br />
D<br />
ennis Erickson has football in his blood.<br />
The son <strong>of</strong> a We-long high school and college<br />
coach, Erickson lived and breathed football<br />
throughout his childhood. This fascination turned into<br />
dedication as he began to take an interest in the game at<br />
an early age. He completed a successful college career<br />
as a quarterback for Montana State in 1968 and immediately<br />
stepped into coaching.<br />
Fourteen years later, in his first collegiate head<br />
coaching job, Erickson has led <strong>Idaho</strong> to one <strong>of</strong> their best<br />
seasons ever and their first-ever NCAA Division I-AA<br />
play<strong>of</strong>f berth. Not a bad way to start a coaching career.<br />
"I was raised in the business," said Erickson on his football<br />
background. "My dad was coach for 30 years and that<br />
had a big influence on why I'm in it."<br />
He is, indeed, "in it." In fact, Erickson is quite a popular<br />
man on campus these days. He has, after all, turned<br />
<strong>Idaho</strong>'s record from 3-8 to 8-3 in one shot. And, perhaps<br />
most importantly <strong>of</strong> all, his team beat the hated arch-rival<br />
power Boise State on the road during the season. That is<br />
a rare feat in itsell and is grounds to make any man a hero.<br />
According to Erickson, beating BSU was the biggest<br />
win <strong>of</strong> the season. "That's a key to our program in this<br />
state," he said about the victory, "and it hadn't been done<br />
in a long time."<br />
What has been Erickson's secret for success in his rookie<br />
year at the <strong>Idaho</strong> helm?<br />
"When the season began, I felt we needed to get bigger<br />
and improve ourselves in the weight room strength,"<br />
he said. He also attributed some <strong>of</strong> the success to the i<br />
nitiation <strong>of</strong> a spring football program at <strong>Idaho</strong>.<br />
continued I><br />
A brief encounter.<br />
After returning to the playing field following halftime, Erickson<br />
discu.sses an earlier questionable call with the referee. Erickson<br />
became interested ln football as a youngster because <strong>of</strong> his father's<br />
dedication to sports. (photo by P. Jerome)
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