David Walker (football coach)
Encyclopedia
David Lee Walker is an assistant football coach for the Indianapolis Colts
.
suburb of Irondequoit, where he was a four-time all-county football player. He was captain of an Irondequoit Indians
team that won the Sectional championship in 1987, and was later selected as an inaugural member of the Section V Football Hall of Fame.
, where he became one of the most prolific running backs for a school renowned for great runners. He finished his college career with 2,643 rushing yards, which was the fourth best total in school history when he graduated. He was behind Joe Morris
(4,299 yards), Larry Csonka
(2,934), and Floyd Little
(2,704) and ahead of Heisman Trophy
winner Ernie Davis
and Hall of Famer Jim Brown
. Walker earned All-Big East
honors twice. He captained the 1992 team, leading it to a number 6 national ranking, 10-2 overall record and 26-22 victory over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl
.
Walker was not selected in the 1994 NFL draft
, but signed a free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins
. He was assigned to the team's practice squad, but was released without appearing in a regular season game.
Following the 2004 season, Walker left Syracuse to join Dave Wannstedt
's staff at the University of Pittsburgh
, where he remained through the 2010 season. Two of the running backs he coached at Pittsburgh went on to the NFL.
In January 2011, he was named running backs coach at the University of Maryland
, but three weeks later he was hired to the same position by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
.
Coaching Timeline
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.
Early life
Walker grew up in the Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
suburb of Irondequoit, where he was a four-time all-county football player. He was captain of an Irondequoit Indians
Irondequoit High School
Irondequoit High School is a public high school in the town of Irondequoit, New York, a major suburb of Rochester, New York.-History:Irondequoit District Number 3 renamed their original Irondequoit Union Free School as Irondequoit High School in 1924. A larger property, the Williams farm, was...
team that won the Sectional championship in 1987, and was later selected as an inaugural member of the Section V Football Hall of Fame.
Playing career
Recruited by dozens of major colleges, Walker chose to attend Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, where he became one of the most prolific running backs for a school renowned for great runners. He finished his college career with 2,643 rushing yards, which was the fourth best total in school history when he graduated. He was behind Joe Morris
Joe Morris (American football)
Joseph Edward Morris is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. Initially noted for his diminutive stature — 5' 7", Morris was a key member of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI in 1987...
(4,299 yards), Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
(2,934), and Floyd Little
Floyd Little
Floyd Douglas Little is a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, and was a three-time American football All-American running back at Syracuse University. In 1967 he was the 6th selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft...
(2,704) and ahead of Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis
Ernest "Ernie" Davis was an American football running back and the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Wearing number 44, Davis competed collegiately for Syracuse University before being drafted by the Washington Redskins, then almost immediately traded to the Cleveland...
and Hall of Famer Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
. Walker earned All-Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
honors twice. He captained the 1992 team, leading it to a number 6 national ranking, 10-2 overall record and 26-22 victory over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
.
Walker was not selected in the 1994 NFL draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, but signed a free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was assigned to the team's practice squad, but was released without appearing in a regular season game.
Coaching career
Walker spent the 1994 season as an assistant coach at Miami's Carol City High School. In 1995 he returned to his alma mater as the running backs coach for the Syracuse Orange, a position he held for ten seasons. During that time, he tutored six running backs who would go on to play in the NFL. He oversaw four consecutive 1,000-yard rushers from 2000–03, a Syracuse record. Overall, Walker coached three of the Orange's top seven all-time leading rushers.Following the 2004 season, Walker left Syracuse to join Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt is current Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He was most recently head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team, a position he held for six seasons. Wannstedt is also the former head coach of the Miami...
's staff at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, where he remained through the 2010 season. Two of the running backs he coached at Pittsburgh went on to the NFL.
In January 2011, he was named running backs coach at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
, but three weeks later he was hired to the same position by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.
Coaching Timeline
- 1995-2003 Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
(RB) - 2004-2010 University of PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(RB) - 2011 Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
(RB)