Kerr Leaving Rams to Join UCLA; Sanders to NU

Joining a staff with a distinct Colorado flavor, Larry Kerr, Defensive Coordinator at Colorado State for the past ten seasons - and a man thought by some to be in line to take over when Head Coach Sonny Lubick finally retired, has left the Rams to accept the same post at UCLA. In addition, CSU defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders is set to accept the same job with his alma mater, Nebraska.

New UCLA coach Karl Dorrell - a former assistant at the University of Colorado and with the Denver Broncos - had already lured away CU assistants Jon Embree and Eric Bieniemy since accpecting the job after the firing of Bob Toledo. He and Kerr had worked together previously at Northern Arizona.

"Larry Kerr is not only an outstanding football coach, he is an even better person who is a close friend to all of us," said Lubick. "I am sorry to see him leave our program. He has meant very much to all of us, especially me. He is a fun person to be around, and I'll miss him as much as a friend as I will as a coach.

"I'm happy for Larry that he has this opportunity," Lubick said. "I think that it says a lot about what we've accomplished at Colorado State when other programs look at our staff members because of our success. I'm proud that people around the country have recognized what has been happening at Colorado State is very special."

Kerr's Colorado State's defense led the conference in total defense twice and was second once and third once in Kerr's 10 years as coordinator. In 2000, LB Rick Crowell was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference, the second time a Rams' player had been so honored during Kerr's tenure.

Currently, five of his former players are playing significant roles in the NFL play-offs, a list that includes defensive lineman Brady Smith of Atlanta, Joey Porter and Clark Haggans of Pittsburgh, and Seam Moran of San Francisco, along with defensive back John Howell of Tampa Bay.

Meanwhile, Sanders, 35, becomes the first coach hired by new Nebraska defensive coordinator Bo Pellini. He played defensive back at Nebraska from 1985-89, and had also been contacted about a position with the St. Louis Rams.