University of Idaho Athletics

Idaho football experienced moments of greatness throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, but nothing compared to the sustained success of the 1980s and 90s. That run started with the arrival of one man: Dennis Erickson.
Prior to the 1982 season, Erickson was hired to take over a team coming off a winless year in Big Sky play. Success followed immediately as Erickson led the Vandals to a school-record nine wins in his debut season, tying for second in the league and advancing to the NCAA I-AA playoffs for the first time in program history. It was just the beginning.
Idaho tied for third in the Big Sky in each of Erickson’s next two seasons, including an eight-win campaign in 1983. His 1985 squad climbed to the top of the conference, claiming Idaho’s first Big Sky title since 1971, with a 7-1 league mark.
The 1985 team also returned to the playoffs. The appearance started a run of 10 playoff berths in 11 years as the Vandals supplanted themselves atop the Big Sky and among the most successful programs in the country.
Erickson coached four Big Sky MVPs in his four seasons, including two-time winner Ken Hobart and a Vandal sweep on both sides of the ball in 1985 when Tom Hennessey and Eric Yarber took home defensive and offensive MVP honors, respectively.
Erickson was named Big Sky Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1985, before taking over programs at Wyoming, Washington State and eventually Miami, where he led the Hurricanes to two national championships in 1989 and 1991. He also went on to coach in the NFL for six seasons with the Seahawks and 49ers. Erickson returned to Idaho for one season in 2006, finishing his Vandal career with a record of 36-23. His .610 winning percentage ranks third all-time.