Erickson leaves Idaho for Arizona State

Dennis Erickson has accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State, Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear announced Saturday night.

Erickson, 59, spent one season at Idaho in his second stint at the school, finishing 4-8. He led Miami to two national titles, and also has been a head coach at Wyoming, Washington State and Oregon State. Erickson has a 149-64-1 record in 18 seasons.

Arizona State sports information director Mark Brand had no comment, but Spear said Erickson told him Saturday afternoon that he was accepting the Sun Devils job.

Arizona State must pay a $150,000 buyout to Idaho. Erickson had signed a five-year deal, and Spear said he was “very disappointed” in the coach’s decision to leave after one season.

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Watson Brown, who oversaw Alabama Birmingham’s move to the Division I-A level, resigned as coach after a 3-9 season and told players he was headed to Tennessee Tech.

Tennessee Tech is a Division I-AA school in Brown’s hometown of Cookeville. His record with the Blazers was 62-74, and he has a career record of 94-151 that includes stops at Cincinnati, Rice and Vanderbilt.

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Defending champion Appalachian State defeated Youngstown State, 49-24, at Boone, N.C., to reach the NCAA Division I-AA title game.

Kevin Richardson rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns as the top-ranked Mountaineers (13-1) advanced to play Massachusetts (13-1) on Friday night in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Richardson had touchdown runs of one and 18 yards in the second quarter to help the Mountaineers build a 28-7 lead. It was their 21st straight win against I-AA teams.

Steve Baylark scored two touchdowns in the first half to help Massachusetts beat second-ranked Montana, 19-17, Friday night.