Minnesota Vikings Running Backs Coach Eric Bieniemy To Interview For College Head Coach Job

by Christopher Gates on Nov 26, 2010 5:47 PM CST in Minnesota Vikings 2010 Season

The Minnesota Vikings may be losing a coach in the near future, but not the one a lot of people might think it is.

While the Vikings' promotion of Leslie Frazier to head coach in the wake of Brad Childress' firing has taken him off of the list of potential candidates for many jobs, running back coach Eric Bieniemy is another matter all together. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and the Denver Post are both reporting that Bieniemy will interview on Saturday for the head coaching job at his alma mater, the University of Colorado.

Bieniemy was a star running back at Colorado from 1987 to 1990, and to this day is the Buffaloes' all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940), all-purpose yards (4,351), and touchdowns (42). As a senior in 1990, he was second in the nation in rushing with 1,628 yards, and scored 17 touchdowns as well in leading Colorado to a national championship. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting that year behind Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer and Notre Dame wide receiver Raghib "Rocket" Ismail.

Bieniemy has been Minnesota's running backs coach since 2006, when Brad Childress came on staff, and has overseen the development of superstar running back Adrian Peterson, who was among the quickest in league history to reach the 5,000 yard rushing plateau under Bieniemy's tutelage. This past off-season, he was named an assistant head coach for the offense after it was rumored that Lane Kiffin was interested in making him the offensive coordinator at the University of Southern California.

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Comments

really hope he doesn't leave.

but if he does, I wish him the best of luck for the future.

by mattnmics on Nov 26, 2010 7:27 PM CST reply actions

Ditto

Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin

by Skol Girl on Nov 26, 2010 8:54 PM CST up reply actions

Agree

I wonder though, if Bevell does poorly if they could offer OC job to Bieniemy?

by Brent P on Nov 27, 2010 10:56 AM CST up reply actions

I can honestly say I don't know enough about his coaching skills

The man has been coaching Adrian F-ing Peterson. He can make anyone look good….. I will say however, Erik seems to have solved his fumbling issue so maybe he does know his stuff.

by PurpleJesus on Nov 26, 2010 8:00 PM CST reply actions

AP is a beast, but...

…I think he could use some more coaching on recognizing his running lanes and picking up the blitz. Pure athletic skills he has in spades and that ain’t coachable.

Two things I think he’s been coached on and improved are: 1) the fumbling; and 2) not dancing around in the backfield but just putting his head down and taking the yard or two that’s available. Desperately need him to get better at blocking for his QB though.

by kcskol on Nov 27, 2010 9:33 AM CST up reply actions

I think the "running lanes"

issue is the zone blocking system hasn’t been making them as often as not. If there’s no hole, blaming the running back for not taking them is pointless.

Similarly, on the blitz pick-up, I think a good bit of this may be schematic. A lot of the times Favre is getting crushed, it’s play-action. More than once, they’ve expected the running back to make the fake and then block on the opposite side of the formation from the “run.” That’s hardly realistic.

by Shawn Gillogly on Nov 27, 2010 11:40 AM CST up reply actions

Agree that I've seen those fake run/missed block combos recently

…but he also whiffs on blocks when he’s not employing a fake. The annihalation of Favre in his first series in the pre-season against San Fran was the first of the “season” and there have been others.

Anyway, my point is that other Vikings running back (last year’s past and this year’s present) seem to pick up the pass rush pretty well. Peterson doesn’t.

by kcskol on Nov 30, 2010 1:51 PM CST up reply actions

Ditto that kc

by CitrusFLViking on Nov 27, 2010 6:27 PM CST up reply actions

Hate to see him leave but it looks like it might happen.

Now with Colorado joining the PAC “12” his NFL ties will attractive to the University.

by nmvikesfan on Nov 26, 2010 11:53 PM CST reply actions

Well, actaully...Peterson didn't HAVE a fumbling issue...

before Bienemy, so it’s hard to say if he ‘fixed’ it or corrected a mistake he created. Seeing as Gerhart also has an issue leaving the ball behind, I’m not sure it isn’t the latter.

by Shawn Gillogly on Nov 27, 2010 12:12 AM CST reply actions

Peterson fixed his issue over the offseason before training camp. During that time, Peterson did everything he could to stay far, far away from Bienemy. In fact, he went to a different continent. Suffice to say that Peterson was only able to solve the problem because he was far away from EB. Peterson has received very little benefit from his coaching.

by medicineball on Nov 27, 2010 9:06 AM CST up reply actions