Kerry Taylor on Dennis Erickson: Right Or Wrong?

Perception in the Grand Canyon State is that Arizona is the Basketball School, Arizona State the Football School. The truth though is that while the basketball disparity greatly favors UA, the two football programs have had little difference in success over the past three decades. Dirk Koetter was fired in a bowl-qualifying season and a former national championship winning coach hired to turn the gridiron tide in Tempe’s favor. Dennis Erickson started making some waves with new uniforms and attitude and a high potential squad, but the water’s turning choppy.

Former Sun Devil Kerry Taylor told Phoenix news station Channel 3 Erickson was not the right coach to produce a winner. Taylor reemphasized his criticisms via Twitter (@K_Taylor5).

Taylor’s Ch. 3 interview has yet to air — it will Sunday night — but his teasing the crux on Twitter has generated controversy. Realistically though, Taylor’s just reinforcing what the numbers demonstrate. To understand the ebb and flow of the Erickson era, it’s important to know the circumstances under which he assumed the reins.

A-State won seven games and bowled the season Koetter was fired, but the Sun Devils finished below .500 in Pac-10 and underachieved given the talent available. Furthermore, Koetter’s final season began with unrest when Koetter named Sam Keller starting quarterback in August, but days later instead and unexpectedly named Rudy Carpenter the No. 1. Those unproven rumors so often associated with such matters swirled: one suggestion is Koetter balked after teammates came to him backing Carpenter. Another is Carpenter’s father strongarmed his son into the job by threatening a transfer. Both scenarios are purely speculative. And either way, a shake-up ensued and Keller left for Nebraska, while Koetter was dug into a deep hole before play even began.

Erickson’s job was simple: be an authoritative leader and win. ASU has long been a sleeping giant capable of challenging for every Pac championship. It’s a university with somewhat less stringent admission policies than others*, a renowned social scene, famous for hosting attractive coeds, playing in a big city market and calling home an historic stadium perched above beautiful Tempe Town Lake. Athletic director Lisa Love believed Erickson to be the man to awaken that giant. After all, Erickson’s greatest success came at Miami, a school with a party reputation and gorgeous weather.

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Obviously the giant still snores. ASU and UA have had conflicting patterns in recent years, with the Wildcats on a program best three-year bowl streak and the Sun Devils not reaching the postseason once in that same timeframe. Some pundits believed 2010 would be a put up-or-shut up season for Erickson; were it not for the regular season finale defeat of Arizona, it may have been. But with a loaded roster returning and high expectations, changing course now would have been counterproductive.

Now though, two months before kickoff, the buzz over ASU’s potential has been refocused on Erickson’s shortcomings. Yes, there is potential with this bunch, but other Erickson-coached teams have had preseason expectations go unfulfilled. ASU has had an odd trajectory under Erickson. His first team earned him his new contract, winning 10 games and a share of the Pac-10 title, but since the Sun Devils have ranged from mediocre to just plain bad. Koetter was relieved in part for failure to maintain a high standard, his ouster coming two seasons removed from a Top 25 finish and Sun Bowl appearance but after a bowl-less then low-level bowl campaign.

As for Erickson, his success came with Koetter-recruited players. And now with Taylor chiming in, an air of public negativity is lingering around the program, which as mentioned above was a key contributor in Koetter’s release.

Taylor was himself a Koetter recruit out of Phoenix-area Hamilton High School, but remained on board with Erickson’s hiring. That leads to the inevitable question skeptics must ask: if Erickson was so unfit to lead, why did Taylor stick to his commitment? Or, why didn’t he transfer? Commitment to his teammates, and pride in his hometown school could be behind his staying. Channel 3 holding the story and Taylor commenting on it publicly prior gives Erickson and his backers ample time to broach these subjects.

Taylor could not be accused of being a benchwarmer with sour grapes, though. He was a regular starter at wide receiver and regular contributor. Such status gives an added validity to his frustrations, as Taylor saw his and other starters’ hard work go unrewarded. To that end, performing is ultimately on the players. But having the players adequately prepared to perform is the coach’s responsibility. Erickson’s seat was already toasty heading into 2011. Now, it’s hotter than a Phoenix car seat in July.