Mentors foresee a bright future for Rams' Linehan

[RamWraith]

By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Saturday, Jan. 28 2006

Behind every rookie NFL head coach are wise men who helped show him the way.
It's no different for new Rams head coach Scott Linehan, who cites Dennis
Erickson and John L. Smith as major influences in his life.

"I put those guys up on a pedestal," Linehan said.

Erickson, the head coach at Idaho, recruited Linehan out of Sunnyside (Wash.)
High School to play quarterback for the Vandals.

Linehan passed for 7,018 yards and 45 touchdowns, leading the Vandals to a
32-16 record as the starter from 1984-86. Erickson didn't succeed in two
head-coaching shots in the NFL (Seattle and San Francisco), but he had a
superlative career as a college head coach, winning at Idaho, Wyoming,
Washington State, Miami (two national championships) and Oregon State.

Erickson had an innovative, wide-open passing attack at Idaho, spreading the
field with multiple receivers. It was a daring approach at the college level,
and it clicked. Linehan ran the ambitious offense and never lost the attacking
mentality instilled in him by Erickson.

"Scott is a natural leader," Erickson said in a phone interview from his home
in northern California. "And he had a winner's attitude. He's just a tremendous
competitor. When it got down to crunch time, he wanted the ball, he wanted to
make the play. And he was smart. He understood the offense, and we really were
doing some different things back then. Everyone had confidence in him."

Linehan wasn't drafted. He signed a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys
early in 1987, but a shoulder injury ended his NFL hopes. Linehan wasn't sure
what to do next, and that's when John L. Smith changed the course of Linehan's
life.

During Linehan's QB career at Idaho, Smith coordinated Erickson's defense and
later became Idaho's head coach. In 1989, Smith gave Linehan his first job,
coaching Idaho's wide receivers.

"I tried to talk him out of it," said the personable Smith, who is preparing
for his fourth season as head coach at Michigan State. "Coaches who are just
starting out bounce around and don't make much money. But once he committed to
the profession, he just kept moving forward and going up. Scotty had such a
great young mind."

In fact, Smith hired Linehan three times. After a year at UNLV, Linehan
returned to Idaho as Smith's offensive coordinator for two seasons, 1992-93.
The Vandals led the nation in offense in 1993, averaging 47 points and 532
yards.

After five years at Washington, Linehan was summoned again by Smith, who became
head coach at Louisville in 1998. Linehan was Smith's offensive coordinator
there from 1999-2001, and the Cardinals produced three of the top six passing
seasons in school history with Linehan scripting plays.

Linehan had the golden touch with quarterbacks at every stop, with five of his
QBs drafted into the NFL: Doug Nussmeier at Idaho, Brock Huard and Marques
Tuiasosopo at Washington, and Chris Redman and Dave Ragone at Louisville.

"Scotty knows the game," Smith said. "He's not afraid to take a chance. You'll
be excited about some of the things he'll do in St. Louis. He'll throw the ball
downfield. He's not afraid to gamble. And he has a great work ethic. His staff
is going to work hard, and they'll be prepared.

"And probably more so than anything, he's a real guy. He's not one of these
egomaniacs. There are so many people in our profession who think they are
really, really neat. He's not that type of guy. He's a legit good guy who cares
about people. You'll see that in him without a doubt, and that's a big a
quality to have. It's important to have great chemistry on your coaching staff.
Scott will do that in St. Louis. Coaches will like going to work for him."

After the 2001 season, Erickson exerted his influence again, advising Linehan
to apply for the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator's job. But Linehan
was torn; he didn't want to bolt on Smith again. But John L. encouraged Linehan
to make the move.

"As smart as he is, as bright a future as he has, when the NFL calls you can't
turn down an opportunity like that," Smith said. "I told him he was crazy not
to go."

After four seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator - three with Minnesota, one
with Miami - Linehan has graduated to the next level. At 42, he's a first-time
head coach.

Naturally, his mentors offer advice - and some predictions.

Erickson: "Do what you believe in, and stick with it. Don't let outside
influences take you away from those beliefs. Be flexible, but don't change who
you are. There's no question in my mind, he'll be successful. He's been
preparing for this. It's going to be fun to watch. I'm definitely a Rams fan
now."

Smith: "Don't be afraid to delegate. He'll have some good people around him, so
let them coach. You can't do it all by yourself. But don't worry about this
guy. He's a good man. He's polished. He's not going to be like a rookie, even
though he is one. He's very special."