Bryce Erickson, head football coach at Lake City High for two seasons (2016-17) has been hired as tight ends coach at the University of Montana, Grizzlies coach Bobby Hauck announced.

Erickson, the son of College Football Hall of Fame head coach Dennis Erickson, comes to Missoula with more than a decade of coaching in the college ranks.

Before he became a high school head coach, Erickson worked as the quarterbacks’ coach at the University of Idaho, running backs coach (for his dad) at Arizona State, and offensive coordinator at New Mexico Highlands in a coaching career spanning 15 years.

Erickson replaces former UM tight ends coach Jace Schillinger, who recently accepted a new position in the private sector.

“Bryce has been around the game of football for his entire life. He has coached at a variety of places and brings more great experience to our staff,” Hauck said. “We think he is a great fit with our players, coaches, and the University of Montana.”

Erickson left Lake City to take a job selling weight room equipment.

Erickson, who was born in Moscow, and whose mother Marilyn attended UM from 1970-1972, also has family ties to the Grizzly football program. His grandfather Pink Erickson was an assistant coach at Montana under Jack Swarthout in 1967.

“I feel 100 percent honored and blessed to be given the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious and respected program at the University of Montana,” Bryce Erickson said. “With what coach Hauck has done here in the past, the direction he’s leading the program now, and the coaching staff he has brought together, it is an amazing opportunity.”

Erickson began his coaching career at New Mexico Highlands, where he served as the quarterbacks’ and wide receivers’ coach before becoming the Cowboy’s offensive coordinator.

He then moved to Arizona State as a graduate assistant before moving up to coach the running backs.

After five seasons in Tempe, Erickson took his first head coaching job in the high school ranks at South Albany High in Albany, Ore., in 2012. He then returned the college level the following season for the chance to once again coach under his father at Idaho.

Erickson, who went 5-12 at Lake City, said he felt the time was right to come back to coaching college football when he received the call from Hauck.

The Grizzlies held their first practice of the spring season on Monday. Spring ball will culminate on April 10 at the spring game at Hamilton High.