Randy Walker (American football coach)
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Troy, Ohio, U.S. | May 29, 1954
Died | June 29, 2006 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. | (aged 52)
Playing career | |
1973–1975 | Miami (OH) |
Position(s) | Fullback |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1976–1977 | Miami (OH) (RB) |
1978–1981 | North Carolina (RB) |
1982–1985 | North Carolina (QB) |
1985–1987 | North Carolina (OC/QB) |
1988–1989 | Northwestern (RB) |
1990–1998 | Miami (OH) |
1999–2005 | Northwestern |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 96–81–5 |
Bowls | 0–3 |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
1 Big Ten Coach of the Year (2000) | |
Randy J. Walker (May 29, 1954 – June 29, 2006) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1990 to 1998 and at Northwestern University from 1999 to 2005, compiling a career head coaching record of 96–81–5. Walker won 59 games at Miami, more than noted coaches who preceded him such as Sid Gillman, Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, Bill Mallory, and Ara Parseghian.
Playing career
Walker had a standout season his last year in high school for the
He played three seasons at
In his three years the team went 32–1–1 and was ranked #15 in 1973, #10 in 1974 and #12 in 1975. Miami won the
in 1975. In his senior year Walker was named the team's most valuable player. For his career he ran for 1757 yards.He was drafted by the
Coaching career
Walker was an assistant coach for the
Miami
Walker became Miami's 30th head coach, succeeding
Northwestern
Walker had a 37–46 career record at Northwestern. In 2000, Walker overhauled the offense and introduced the spread formation. Unlike most other spread offenses, Walker's featured a very strong running game. His run game was so strong, in fact, that only one season in Walker's entire time at Northwestern did he fail to coach a 1000-yard rusher. This offense helped the Wildcats share the Big Ten title in his second year. He is third behind Pappy Waldorf in career victories. Walker also was the first Wildcat coach to lead three different teams to bowl games. In addition, he became the first Wildcat coach ever to guide three straight teams to four or more Big Ten wins.
Death
On June 29, 2006, Walker, who was only 52, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack, leaving the Northwestern community shocked and saddened. He had battled a viral heart infection in the fall of 2004.[2] On July 7, 2006 Pat Fitzgerald was named to replace him as head coach of the Wildcats.
Personal life
Born to Jim Walker, an accountant with
He is survived by his wife and high-school sweetheart, Tammy (aka "Tamara";
He met Tammy when he was on student council his junior year in high school. They were both put on a committee to plan a Thanksgiving dance in 1970. She was a senior and after she chose to attend Miami University he followed her there. They were married in 1975.[1]
In an interview in 2000, Walker told Skip Myslenski of the Chicago Tribune that the defining moment in his life came in 1969. On a high school team that was rebuilding and led by undersized sophomores like himself, they were having a terrible season (they went 2–7–1). On the last play of the last game of the season, with the game tied 22–22 against powerful rival Dayton Wayne, the pass went to the 165-pound Walker. He was tackled 18 inches from the end zone. After the game his coach, James "Jim" Conard, made the entire team walk around with a piece of cloth that was 18 inches long, until the start of the 1970 season.[6]
Walker gave up his first love,
Head coaching record
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miami Redskins / RedHawks (Mid-American Conference) (1990–1998) | |||||||||
1990 | Miami | 5–5–1 | 4–3–1 | 5th | |||||
1991 | Miami | 6–4–1 | 4–3–1 | T–3rd | |||||
1992 | Miami | 6–4–1 | 5–3 | T–3rd | |||||
1993 | Miami | 4–7 | 3–6 | 9th | |||||
1994 | Miami | 6–4–1 | 5–3 | 3rd | |||||
1995 | Miami | 8–2–1 | 6–1–1 | 2nd | |||||
1996 | Miami | 6–5 | 6–2 | T–2nd | |||||
1997 | Miami | 8–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd (East) | |||||
1998 | Miami | 10–1 | 7–1 | T–1st (East) | |||||
Miami: | 59–36–5 | 46–24–3 | |||||||
Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Conference) (1999–2005) | |||||||||
1999 | Northwestern | 3–8 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
2000 | Northwestern | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–1st | L Alamo | ||||
2001 | Northwestern | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–10th | |||||
2002 | Northwestern | 3–9 | 1–7 | T–10th | |||||
2003 | Northwestern | 6–7 | 4–4 | T–7th | L Motor City | ||||
2004 | Northwestern | 6–6 | 5–3 | 4th | |||||
2005 | Northwestern | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | L Sun | ||||
Northwestern: | 37–46 | 24–32 | |||||||
Total: | 96–81–5 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth |
References
- ^ a b c d e Myslenski, Skip. – "As a High School Player, Randy Walker Once Cost His Team A Victory When He Missed Scoring a Touchdown by 18 Inches". – Chicago Tribune. – December 24, 2000.
- ^ a b c Banks, Lacy J. – "'A devastating loss' for NU: Heart attack blamed for shocking death of football coach, 52". – Chicago Sun-Times. – July 1, 2006.
- ^ a b "Randy Walker dies, former Miami football player, coach". – Dayton Daily News. – June 30, 2006.
- ^ Cincinnati Enquirer. – September 12, 2003.
- ^ Columbus Dispatch. – July 1, 2006.
- ^ Begley, Bill. – "Troy of '71 Set Standard for Area Gridiron Greatness – 20 players from that squad went on to play college football". – Dayton Daily News. – August 24, 2001.