Here again, gone again

Dennis Erickson is on the move again.

The well-traveled football coach told University of Idaho athletic director Rob Spear during a short meeting Saturday night that he is taking the coaching job at Arizona State University.

“He’s gone,” Spear said. “He said he’s going to take the job and he’s going to leave (today) on a private plane (for Arizona).”

Erickson’s representatives were reportedly in final contract negotiations with ASU. Idaho was 4-8 overall, 3-5 in the WAC under Erickson in 2006.

“It’s very disappointing,” Spear said. “We made a commitment to him. We worked our tails off to improve all aspects of his program. We have a facilities plan out there that we’re making progress on. So yeah, I’m disappointed. Had we known we would be in this situation right now, we wouldn’t have gone in that direction.”

Erickson’s contract at Idaho includes a $150,000 buyout if he departs for another job by Feb. 7. There was no immediate word on how many assistant coaches would join Erickson at ASU, but offensive coordinator Dan Cozzetto, running backs coach Jamie Christian and assistant head coach Gregg Smith are almost sure bets to leave. Cozzetto was ASU’s offensive coordinator from 1992-99. Smith has been on Erickson’s staffs at seven different stops since 1982. Christian is Erickson’s nephew.

Asked by a Spokesman-Review reporter after the near 10-minute meeting with Spear, Erickson said, “that’s a private conversation” and declined to elaborate. Erickson added: “When there’s something to report, we’ll report it. I don’t want to talk right now.”

Idaho had approximately 10 recruits on campus this weekend and the timing couldn’t have been more awkward. Erickson, 59, spent part of Saturday afternoon in his office visiting with recruits as well as current players.

“It’s tough, no doubt about it,” rising senior linebacker David Vobora said. “If he were to leave, (we’re) back to square one with a coach. But at the same time, you learn a lot and you build a lot of character through stuff like this.”

Arizona State spokesman Mark Brand declined comment.

Erickson’s hiring in February was accompanied by much fanfare as an overflow crowd watched him take the podium in Idaho’s weight room. Erickson, whose longest stint as a head coach at the college or NFL level was six years at Miami, was asked at the press conference if his commitment to Idaho was long term.

“You want to look at the age on my driver’s license?” he responded. “There are times in life and we all face it when things just happen. This hopefully is going to be my last job.”

Erickson was 32-15 in his first tour of duty at Idaho from 1982-85. His second stint lasted one season, the shortest by a Vandal football coach since Ralph F. Hutchinson’s one-year tenure in 1919.

Spear will be searching for a new coach for the third time in four years. The immediate speculation centered on former Vandal head coach John L. Smith, who was fired by Michigan State late in the regular season. Smith compiled a 53-21 record at UI from 1989-94. He is the school’s all-time leader in wins. Erickson is second with 36.

“I haven’t had a direct conversation with him, so I’m not going to comment other than to say we’ll sit down,” Spear said.