Ex-Vandals Lappano, Yarber join Washington football staff
SEATTLE – Tyrone Willingham added three offensive coaches with experience in the Pacific-10 Conference and the NFL to his football staff at the University of Washington on Friday.
Willingham named Tim Lappano as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Eric Yarber as wide receivers coach and Trent Miles as running backs coach.
Lappano, 48, a Spokane native and Gonzaga Prep graduate, had most recently been running backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers under Dennis Erickson. He also was the Seattle Seahawks’ running backs coach under Erickson in 1998, the year Ricky Watters rushed for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns. Lappano followed Erickson to San Francisco in 2002, when the 49ers ranked third in rushing in the NFC.
His most recent college job was at Oregon State, where he was offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2003.
He also has college coaching experience at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, California and Purdue.
As a player, Lappano was a four-year letterman at Idaho and left as the school’s second-leading career rusher.
Yarber, 40, also spent the past two seasons with the 49ers, where he coached the wide receivers, including Pro Bowler Terrell Owens.
His most recent college work was at Oregon State from 1999-2002.
Previously, he had coached at Idaho, UNLV, and was offensive quality control coach for the Seahawks under Erickson in 1998.
He played for Erickson at Idaho (1984-85) and was a 12th-round selection by Washington in the 1986 draft and played for the Redskins’ 1988 Super Bowl champions.
Miles, 41, spent the past three seasons as Willingham’s wide receivers coach at Notre Dame. Before that, he coached one season under Willingham at Stanford, handling a receiving corps that included Luke Powell and Teyo Johnson.
His previous college coaching experience came at Fresno State, Indiana State, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Northern Illinois and Hawaii.
In 2000, he was an offensive assistant working with wide receivers and as a quality control coach with the Green Bay Packers.
In his playing days, he was a wide receiver at Indiana State (1982-86).
One opening remains on the UW coaching staff, and Willingham hopes to fill that position next week.