Buccaneers Lure Franklin From USC

USC Coach Pete Carroll confirmed Monday that defensive line coach Jethro Franklin accepted a job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He did a great job for us, and he’s going to be a head coach someday,” Carroll said. “He’s trying to position himself so he can do that. He’s going somewhere he’ll be in great position to elevate himself.”

Franklin, 40, will replace Rod Marinelli, who was hired as head coach by the Detroit Lions after serving 10 seasons as defensive line coach for the Buccaneers.

Franklin interviewed in December to become head coach at San Diego State.

-- Gary Klein

The St. Louis Rams added nine coaches to their staff, including Idaho coach Nick Holt.

Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear said he has engaged in preliminary discussions with former San Francisco 49er coach Dennis Erickson about returning to Idaho as coach. Spear said he had not offered the job to Erickson.

Erickson was Idaho’s coach from 1982 to ’85.