PREP FOOTBALL: Bryce Erickson named Lake City football coach

Son of former Idaho coach Dennis Erickson only the second head man in T-Wolf history

Being the son of a football coach, Bryce Erickson has bounced around the country many times over his four decades.

So when the chance came to pursue a high school coaching job and (hopefully) cut down on all the moving, Erickson jumped at it.

Erickson, son of former Idaho Vandals coach Dennis Erickson, on Friday was named football coach at Lake City High.

“I just turned 41 in January, and I’ve been sitting back and realizing, I’ve lived in 15 different places,” Erickson said. “My oldest son is 5, and he’s moved to three different places. I’ve got an 8-month old, and my wife (Mary) is pregnant with No. 3. The high school level is way more conducive, in my situation, to being a better husband and a better father, and put myself in a position where I could spend more time with my family.”

Erickson replaces Van Troxel, who started the Lake City program in 1994, and coached the Timberwolves for 22 seasons before resigning following the 2015 season.

He was one of three finalists interviewed Friday. The others were Lake City assistant coach Travis Harmon, and Deer Park football coach Keith Stamps.

“Bryce was real impressive with his interview,” Lake City athletic director Jim Winger said, “especially in regard to the vision and plans for the program. Really, not often do you get a coach with his qualifications and experience — he’s coached at the highest level of collegiate competition, and he’s been a high school head coach. The one quality that really stands out is his knowledge and expertise in conditioning, and strength training, is phenomenal.”

Erickson has been the quarterbacks coach at Idaho the past three seasons. He has been in contact with Vandals head coach Paul Petrino, and hopes to get going at Lake City “sooner rather than later, hoping within the next couple of weeks.”

“It wasn’t the easiest decision, because I really feel confident that the University of Idaho is going to have a chance to be real good next year,” Erickson said.

Dennis Erickson, 68, is an assistant coach at the University of Utah. The Ericksons coached together at Arizona State — Bryce was running backs coach when Dennis was head coach from 2009-11. In 2012, Bryce Erickson was head coach at South Albany High in Albany, Ore.

“They hadn’t won a game in three years, and we (won three games),” Erickson said. Dennis was an assistant on Bryce’s staff at South Albany, and Bryce hopes his dad will join him at Lake City eventually.

Bryce is familiar with the Coeur d’Alene area — his parents have had a retirement home on Lake Coeur d’Alene for 20 years.

Bryce Erickson began his college football career at the University of Miami in 1993, when his dad coached there. He finished his playing career at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. He earned a B.S. in exercise science from New Mexico Highlands in 2006.

Erickson said he plans to be his own offensive coordinator, running a version of the spread.

“It’s going to be an up-tempo offense,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in keeping it simple, so the kids can execute and play fast. It’s a quick passing game, and you’ve got to be able to run the football.”

He says he plans to talk to current Lake City assistants and gauge their interest in joining his staff.

“I’m really excited to get into the community and having myself and my staff getting into the elementary schools, and really be a part of the Junior Tackle league, and get kids excited about Lake City football.”