Bratkowski And Erickson: Together Again

In a move that may be unprecedented, Bob Bratkowski was fired and promoted by the same organization in less than a month's time.

"One minute," Bratkowski said, "I feel tremendously excited. And then in the next, I know that down that hallway many of those I coached with don't have jobs."

Bratkowski coached the Seattle Seahawk wide receivers for the past three seasons under Tom Flores. No area of the team seemed less exciting and productive.

Now, under Dennis Erickson, Bratkowski will be the team's offensive coordinator.

"He did a good job with the receivers," said David Behring, the Seahawk president. "We just needed better receivers."

The Seahawks are hustling to correct that. Erickson, in his first Seattle press conference yesterday, said the No. 1 priority in the draft was a wide receiver.

Later, he said he would like to use the Seahawks' first pick (No. 7 or No. 8 in the first round) to take J.J. Stokes of UCLA, Joey Galloway of Ohio State or Michael Westbrook of Colorado.

"We'll have all the intelligent discussions about our draft pick," Erickson said. "I have great respect for our personnel people. I'm not on an ego trip; I don't have to make every decision. But we do need a wide receiver."

Erickson has a way of getting his way. And he wanted Bratkowski as his offensive coordinator, despite what happened here the past three years.

Relationship has deep roots

The two go way back, to Wyoming, in the mid-1980s. They grew up on football, Erickson as the son of a high-school coach, Bratkowski as the son of an NFL quarterback (Zeke Bratkowski). Football, football, football.

It was Bratkowski who met Erickson at the airport as Erickson arrived in San Francisco 10 days ago to start interviews with the Behrings.

"I was excited about him getting the job," Bratkowski said, "but more than anything I wanted it to be right for him. We've been friends a long, long time. I think it made me able to tell him what was good and what was bad about the Seahawks."

Erickson is bringing his offensive coordinator from Miami, Rich Olson, to Seattle. But it is Bratkowski who will be his right-hand man.

"I'm a hands-on guy, always have been, especially with the offense," Erickson said. "As far as the game plan goes, I will be heavily involved. When there is a critical time in the game, the decision on which play to call will be mine.

"Bob knows that. He knows what I want. I can trust him."

In many ways, Bratkowski is perfect for the job. He knows Erickson, and he knows the Seahawks. If nothing else, he can translate the technical talk of one staff to another.

Already, Erickson, Bratkowski and Howard Mudd, the veteran offensive-line coach who was also retained, have began preliminary talks on what to do with the offense.

They agree its strength is the ability to run the football.

Later yesterday, in fact, Erickson announced he was also retaining running-backs coach Clarence Selmon.

Erickson `likes to be right on the edge'

"We don't want to get away from our strength - running," Bratkowski said, "but the offense will change to pick up Dennis' personality. He's very aggressive and confident in his offense being able to take certain chances. He likes to be right on the edge."

They want to put Rick Mirer on the edge, because he has the athletic ability to not only handle it, but exploit it.

"The days of the pure, drop-back passer in the NFL are gone," Erickson said. "That was apparent in what you saw from Steve Young of the 49ers. Rick Mirer has the potential to move. We've got to use more play-action and be prepared to get him outside more."

With Erickson, you pass first and run second.

"But don't forget," Bratkowski said, "at Washington State we had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. We made you defend pass, but we were always sneaky good with the run."

At Wyoming and WSU, Erickson's team did as much or more with two running backs in the formation as they did one. Erickson said he will be the same at Seattle, where he likes the abilities of Warren and both of his returning fullbacks.

Right now, Erickson likes everything about Seattle.

"It was an unbelievable feeling to walk in here knowing I was the head coach," he said. "Unbelievable."

He looked around the press conference yesterday, and smiled. There were his mother and father in the audience. Cortez Kennedy, whom he coached at Miami, stuck his head in the door. And outside, waiting to meet and talk about the offense, was Bob Bratkowski.

Want to comment or pass on an idea? You can contact Blaine Newnham by voice mail at 464-2364.