, ▁ 1 9 ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁game ▁between ▁the ▁V and als ▁and ▁the ▁Tro j ans ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁played . ▁ ▁Er ick son ' s ▁return ▁( 2 0 0 6 ) ▁On ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁in ▁a ▁surprise ▁turn ▁of ▁events , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁Dennis ▁Er ick son ▁had ▁been ▁re h ired ▁as ▁the ▁V and als ▁head ▁coach ▁after ▁Nick ▁Hol t ' s ▁departure . ▁Al most ▁immediately , ▁news ▁of ▁Er ick son ' s ▁re h iring ▁resulted ▁in ▁boost s ▁in ▁ticket ▁sales ▁and ▁boost er ▁don ations ▁to ▁the ▁football ▁program . ▁When ▁asked ▁at ▁his ▁( re ) intro duct ory ▁press ▁conference ▁if ▁Id aho ▁was ▁indeed ▁a ▁long - term ▁arrangement , ▁Er ick son ▁respond ed , ▁" You ▁want ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁on ▁my ▁driver ' s ▁license ? ... This , ▁hopefully , ▁is ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁my ▁last ▁job ." ▁Er ick son ▁h ired ▁Dan ▁C oz zet to ▁as ▁off ensive ▁coordin ator ▁and ▁Jeff ▁M ills ▁as ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator , ▁while ▁retain ing ▁the ▁entire ▁def ensive ▁staff ▁he ▁inherited ▁from ▁Nick ▁Hol t . ▁Er ick son ▁signed ▁a ▁five - year ▁contract ▁worth ▁about ▁$ 1 . 5 ▁million ▁with ▁performance ▁bon uses ▁that ▁could ' ve ▁pushed ▁the ▁total ▁to ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁about ▁$ 2 . 5 ▁million . ▁ ▁Er ick son '