Dennis Erickson — named '49ers head coach by Carol Schmidt MSU Communications Services As the recently named head coach of the San Francisco '49ers, Dennis Erickson, '70 PE, is now worlds and decades away from the fields of Montana State University, where he once led the Bobcats as a confident young quarterback. But, he says, the coaches he knew in Bozeman helped form his style, and the friends he made at MSU are still some of his closest. "MSU has played a great, huge success in my career," Erickson said in between meetings for the upcoming NFL draft. "I played for Jim Sweeney and Tom Parac and the tremendous Sonny Holland. They gave me my first opportunity and if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be close to where I am today." After earning All-Big Sky quarterback honors for the Cats from 1966-68, and leading the 'Cats to conference championships all three years, Erickson was a student coach with Sonny Holland in his fifth year of college. He worked at Idaho, Fresno and San Jose State, where he devised a wide-open passing attack with three receivers. That plan is similar to the West Coast Offense that Bill Walsh engineered for the '49ers about the same time Erickson was at San Jose. "The terminology is a bit different but its all the same thing," said Erickson from his new office that is down the hall from Walsh. Does Erickson ask Walsh for advice? "Yeah, you pick his brain. You use that." Erickson has since used his offensive scheme with good success in the following years at Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami and Oregon State, where he was most recently. He also coached for the Seattle Sea-hawks. But the head coaching job for the '49ers is one of the most prestigious in football and Erickson said he is honored to be filling it. Erickson who has had experience in both the college and NFL game said there are more similarities than one might think. "Some (coaches) make the mistake in thinking that you handle the NFL guys differently, that you don't have to coach guys that have been around. But coaching is still coaching. You have to coach NFL players just like college players so they can get better. That's what it is all about." Erickson has hired another coach with an MSU connection for his '49ers staff--Al Simmons who was an MSU assistant from 1995-96. "There's such a special bond at that school," Erickson said. "The things that happen at Montana State are some of your best times. And the friends you meet there, like your fraternity brothers, continue to be your best friends." Erickson points out Dick Harte, '70 Bus, and Larry Aasheim, '69 Econ, of Bozeman, Gary Richard, '68 CE, and John Winchell, '70 Bus, from Billings as people who have followed and supported him throughout the years and various jobs. "The Bobcats and what they're doing has a special meaning for me. I think the Griz win (MSU beating UM in football this year) was as important to me as any win at Oregon State," Erickson said. "Mike should be congratulated. "Once you play and get involved in that rivalry--MSU and UM--it will always mean something. I've been involved in a lot of great rivalries--from Florida State and Miami, Wyoming and CSU, to Washington State and Washington--nothing is better than the Cats and Griz."