University of Idaho offensive
coordinator Steve Axman announced his retirement from the Vandal staff Monday
after serving under coach Robb Akey since Akey was hired in 2007.
“At the age of 64½, my wife and I
are closing in on our retirement goals,” said Axman, whose wife, Marie, is the
principal/administrator of the Moscow Charter School. “We thought this might be
as good a time as any to go on with the next stage of my life.”
Axman's ties with Akey go back to
his time as the head coach at Northern Arizona University and Akey was an
assistant for him for four seasons.
“It was a pleasure to have worked
with my friend Robb Akey on the other end of the head coach/assistant coach
relationship,” he said. “We had a lot of fun together. We certainly had good
times here at the University of Idaho.”
“I appreciate coach Axman's hard
work and effort,” said Akey in bidding farewell to someone he has either shared
a sideline with or been on the opposite side of the field for 14 of the past 21
season. “We have had some great times together.
“I wish him the best in his future
endeavors.”
Axman's career at Idaho includes
consideration for the 2009 Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant
coach and guiding former Vandal and current Chicago Bear Nate Enderle to one of
the best careers by an Idaho quarterback in school history.
“It was very special to have had
the opportunity to coach Nate Enderle for four years and see him grow into an
athlete who was able to move on to the NFL,” Axman said.
Axman's coaching career touched
five decades with his first post as a high school coach at MacArthur High
School in his native New York in 1973. He entered the college ranks at East
Stroudsburg State in 1974 and went on to coach collegiately at Army, Illinois,
Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Maryland, Northern Arizona, Minnesota, Washington and
Montana. He also spent one season with the Denver Gold of the USFL.
In addition to Enderle, he also
coached NFL legend Troy Aikman when he was at UCLA, Washington star Marques
Tuiasosopo and Maryland's Neil O'Donnell.
He has written 12 books on
offensive football with the 13th due out early next year.
