Eric Yarber

Eric Yarber begins his third season at Arizona State, coaching the wide receivers on head coach Dennis Erickson's staff. Yarber coached with Erickson for seven seasons during Erickson's tenures with the San Francisco 49ers (2003, 2004), at Oregon State University (1999-2002) and with the Seattle Seahawks (1998). He also played for Erickson during his college career at the University of Idaho (1984-85). Yarber has also coached at the University of Washington (2005, 2006), at UNLV (1997) and at the University of Idaho (1996). Yarber spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons as the University of Washington's wide receivers coach among head coach Tyrone Willingham's staff. Under Yarber's tutelage during the 2006 season, Husky wide receiver Sonny Shackleford finished fourth in the Pacific-10 Conference in touchdown catches (seven) and eighth in receptions (50) and receiving yards (666), while teammate Anthony Russo ranked third in the conference with a 17.3 yards-per-catch average. Yarber joined the Washington staff after having spent two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Yarber coached the 49ers' wide receivers in 2003 and 2004 under Erickson, guiding Pro Bowler Terrell Owens to a 1,000-yard season in his first year. Yarber also played an integral part in the development of rookie wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who led the team with a 15.1-yard average per catch in 2004. Yarber was also a member of Erickson's staff at Oregon State from 1999-2002. He coached the receivers for three seasons after switching from running backs coach following the 1999 season. During the 1999 season, Yarber coached running back Ken Simonton, who rushed for 1,486 yards and 19 touchdowns that year. Yarber also coached wide receiver James Newson, who gained over 2,200 yards in 2001 and 2002, including a 1,284 yard season in 2002. During Yarber's tenure, the Beavers sent two receivers to the NFL in 2000, as Chad Johnson was a second-round selection of Cincinnati and T.J. Houshmandzadeh was the seventh-round pick of the Bengals. Yarber's coaching career began at his alma mater, Idaho, as secondary coach in 1996. He spent one season at Idaho before joining the staff at UNLV as receivers coach. Erickson brought Yarber to the NFL ranks as offensive quality control coach for the Seattle Seahawks in 1998. A 12th-round draft pick out of Idaho by Washington in the 1986 NFL Draft, Yarber spent three seasons with the Redskins as a wide receiver and kick returner. He was a member of Washington's Super Bowl XXII championship team in 1988, leading the team that season with 37 punt returns. While playing for Erickson at the University of Idaho, Yarber was a Kodak All-American and the Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player as a senior after catching 75 passes for 1,103 yards. As a junior, he finished 10th in the nation in punt returns and third in the conference with 817 yards receiving on 54 catches. He graduated from Idaho with a bachelor's degree in general studies with an emphasis in criminal justice in 1995.