Valuable Warhawk Football Assistant Moves to DI | University

WHITE WATER

Rob Erickson has resigned as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the UW-Whitewater football team to work as a special teams coordinator and corner coach in the team. 39 State of South Dakota, according to Erickson and UW-Whitewater head coach Kevin Bullis.

Erickson was a finalist for the UW-Whitewater head coaching position when Lance Leipold left the Warhawks after the 2014 season to become head coach at the University of Buffalo.

Bullis was hired as head coach and, because Leipold took most of the staff with him to train the Bulls, Bullis and Erickson put together a coaching staff which remained largely intact during the last five seasons and has accumulated a record of 57-9.

South Dakota State is an NCAA Division I FCS program that plays in the Missouri Valley Conference. In 2019, the Jackrabbits lost 21-14 to Minnesota. In 2020, they will face Nebraska in week 2.

"I had itchy burs to itch, and it was an itch that I felt like I had to scratch myself," Erickson said on a phone call Monday evening. “The hardest part of leaving is the relationships we have established in Whitewater. It is difficult to leave a place where you feel respected. You have these deep relationships and it is difficult to know that you are leaving a school so rich in traditions.

Erickson made the decision to accept the position in February. Bullis has since promoted Jace Rindahl to the position of interim defensive coordinator and Ryan Cortez to the position of interim defense coordinator.

"Rob is a very good friend. I owe him a lot," said Bullis. "Five years ago, Lance took all the staff and offered me the opportunity to leave. I didn't go there, but I stayed behind and I had to build a staff. I didn't build the staff by myself. Rob Erickson was a key player You will miss a great teacher, and that is ultimately what he is. I am excited for him.

When someone has the opportunity to go DI, you have no choice but to smile and be happy for them.

Rindahl, a former Cambridge athlete and linebacker at UW-Whitewater, was previously linebackers coach and defense coordinator. He was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association's assistant coach of the year in 2018 and has coached the Warhawks since 2015.

Cortez has been the defensive line coach since 2016.

Reaching out and reassuring recruits is a top priority with Erickson leaving the program, said Bullis.

"Ultimately, his connection with all the children he has recruited and strengthening them that the program is bigger than any person," said Bullis. "When we recruit, we sell the program in the end. Rob develops a relationship with these young men, but it is UW-Whitewater that we recruit them. Whether it be me or someone another is the great story of this program which proves that. "

Erickson spent his career as a defensive coordinator and was one of the main reasons the Warhawks shifted their defense from a four-man front to a three-man front throughout the season 2019. UW-Whitewater continued his reign as one of the best defenses in the country throughout Erickson's five years as a defensive coordinator.

Now he will move on to a coordinating role for the special teams and to train the cornerbacks.

"When you're a coordinator, whether it's offensive, defensive or special teams, you need to be able to organize people, understand the techniques and how they are set up," said Erickson. "You need to put in place practices that include how to use three minutes here, 16 minutes here and understand how to put people on the same page and coordinate everyone involved, from players to coaches.

"Thanks to the interview process here, they must have felt quite strongly my ability to organize the players and to organize themselves overall."