KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Not long after Carl Peterson became a graduate-assistant football coach at UCLA in 1973, he encountered then-Los Angeles Rams assistant Dick Vermeil as the Rams conducted practices at UCLA. Even in Vermeil’s subordinate role, Peterson was struck by his charisma and energy.
Enough so that when Vermeil was hired to take over as UCLA’s head coach after that season, not only was Peterson in need of the job, but he also was particularly eager to work with Vermeil.
Never mind that Vermeil had someone else in mind for that receivers coaching position and initially had decided not to retain Peterson.
