Brooks Coming Back to the Rams : Football: Oregon coach returning to team he served as special teams assistant in early ‘70s.

Rich Brooks, an assistant coach with the Rams 23 years ago, accepted a four-year contract for about $2.5 million Friday to return as the team’s 19th head coach. He will be introduced at a press conference today at the NFL scouting combine workouts in Indianapolis.

Brooks, 53, compiled a 91-109-4 mark in 18 years at the University of Oregon and last season led the Ducks to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years.

“I’m obviously filled with anticipation and excitement, but at the same time after 18 years it’s a nostalgic day for me here in Eugene,” Brooks said in a telephone conference call. “We shared a real good ride last year by winning the Pac-10 championship and going to the Rose Bowl.

“I feel the change will be good for me. Obviously the ultimate in the coaching profession is the challenge of being a head coach in this league. I think I’m qualified; I think I’m ready.”

Georgia Frontiere, Ram owner, approved Brooks’ appointment after speaking with him earlier in the day.

“It’s a great hire,” said Bobby Beathard, Charger general manager. “When you visit Oregon and see how he runs things and the relationship he has with his players, you just have to be impressed with the guy.”

Brooks, a special teams assistant with the Rams in 1971 and 1972, also coached the defensive backs for the San Francisco 49ers in 1974 and 1975.

“I feel very comfortable that our football people did their homework and found the best coach,” Ram President John Shaw said. “All the people I contacted, like Bobby Beathard, Dick Vermeil, Ernie Zampese and Dick Steinberg had nothing but glowing endorsements for Rich Brooks.”

Steinberg, the Jets’ general manager, interviewed and considered hiring Brooks in 1990 before giving the job to Bruce Coslet.

“This is New York City and Rich was coming off something like a 6-5 year at Oregon, and it may have been a gutless thing to do, but it kept me from hiring him,” Steinberg said. “But there is no doubt he was extremely qualified and could have done an outstanding job.

“I don’t think you will find many people in the league that will be shocked or question this move. The guys in this league have been around and they have seen him operate and they know how impressive he is. Nothing against Oregon, but to be able to stay in one place that long and compete, and compete very well, tells you a lot right there.”

The Rams, like Steinberg several years ago, were concerned about Brooks’ overall record and the impact his hiring will have on fans in St. Louis. The team began its search for a head coach with a list of 27 names, and while Brooks made a favorable impression after being the first coach to be interviewed, the team continued to talk with Dallas offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese, UCLA Coach Terry Donahue, former Bear coach Mike Ditka and Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez.

As late as Thursday night the team continued to explore different possibilities, but the urgency to hire a supporting coaching staff and word from Eugene Friday morning that Brooks had become irritated by the wait, prompted the Rams to react with a job offer Friday afternoon.

“The Rams have found the right man,” former Stanford Coach Bill Walsh said. “He has a done a great job and has won against the odds year after year. He’s never had the most talented teams, but I have always said Oregon is the best-coached team on the West Coast.”

Brooks drove the Ducks to seven winning seasons in his 18-year tenure, including four bowl appearances in the last six years. Oregon’s visit to the Independence Bowl in 1989 ended a 26-year post-season drought.

“The people that know football and know coaching really respect Rich Brooks,” said Dick Vermeil, former UCLA and Philadelphia Eagle head coach. “He’s always been able to do more with less than just about anybody I know.”

Given such experience he should feel right home with the Rams, a team that has compiled a 23-57 record the last five seasons, while failing to advance to the playoffs since 1989.

Brooks is expected to bring a couple of assistant coaches from Oregon, including Nick Aliotti, defensive coordinator/secondary coach, and will meet with several Chuck Knox holdovers, who have already been recommended for hiring by Steve Ortmayer, vice president of football operations.

Wayne Sevier, special teams coach; Mike Martz, quarterbacks coach; Dick Selcer, linebackers coach; and Joe Vitt, assistant head coach, are known to be highly regarded by Ortmayer. Johnny Roland, who turned down an offer to coach with Houston, already has been hired for an unspecified offensive assistant post.

“Rich brings strong credibility on both sides of the ball,” Ortmayer said. “Next to Bill Walsh at Stanford, Oregon moved the ball better than anybody in the Pac-10. As an ex-quarterback, he understands the position, and Ernie Zampese had nothing but praise for his knowledge of the passing game.

“The people we have talked to said the two programs that played closest to their defensive potential in the Pac-10 were Oregon and Arizona. He brings to us a very aggressive style of defense.”

The Ducks ranked ninth offensively last season in the Pac-10, and Oregon’s nicknamed “Gangrene” defense, finished fourth.

Brooks, who coached Ram quarterback Chris Miller and safety Anthony Newman, received several national coach of the year awards last season. He turned around a program that had been 14-20 the previous three years.