▁served ▁as ▁off ensive ▁coordin ator ▁at ▁F res no ▁State ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 8 ▁under ▁Jim ▁S ween ey ▁and ▁Bob ▁Pad illa ▁and ▁before ▁joining ▁Jack ▁El way ' s ▁San ▁Jose ▁State ▁staff ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Er ick son ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁pione er ▁of ▁the ▁spread ▁off ense ▁and ▁installed ▁the ▁system ▁when ▁he ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁the ▁V and als ▁head ▁coach . ▁He ▁h ired ▁by ▁UI ▁athlet ic ▁director ▁Bill ▁Bel kn ap ▁and ▁accepted ▁a ▁one - year ▁contract ▁at ▁$ 3 8 , 0 0 1 . ▁Both ▁of ▁Er ick son ' s ▁coordin ators , ▁off ensive ▁coordin ator ▁Keith ▁Gilbert son ▁and ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator ▁John ▁L . ▁Smith , ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁V and als ▁football ▁program ▁themselves . ▁Building ▁on ▁his ▁reputation ▁as ▁an ▁off ensive ▁innov ator , ▁Er ick son ▁became ▁Id aho ' s ▁all - time ▁winning est ▁head ▁coach ▁in ▁just ▁four ▁seasons . ▁He ▁took ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁I - AA ▁play offs ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁and ▁fourth ▁seasons . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁season , ▁Er ick son ▁took ▁an ▁under ach ieving ▁( and ▁injured ) ▁ 3 – 8 ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁immediately ▁turned ▁it ▁into ▁a ▁ 9 – 4 ▁play off ▁team , ▁led ▁by ▁dec ath lete ▁quarter back ▁Ken ▁Hob art . ▁The ▁V and als