Randy Walker (football coach)
Encyclopedia
Randy J. Walker was an American 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 college football
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
.
, he received recruiting offers from Big Ten schools like Northwestern University
and Ohio State University
, but choose instead to follow his high school sweetheart, Tammy, to Miami University
(Tammy was a year older and already there).
He played three season at fullback
for the Miami University
RedHawks
in Oxford under head coaches Bill Mallory and Dick Crum
. His teammates included current Illinois coach Ron Zook
and NFL standouts Rob Carpenter and Sherman Smith
. 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 Mid-American Conference
in all three years. Miami also went to the Tangerine Bowl
(presently the Capital One Bowl
) where they beat Florida
in 1973, Georgia
in 1974 and South Carolina
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 Cincinnati Bengals
(1976
; 13th round), but chose to become an assistant coach instead.
RedHawks
(1976–1977; running backs), then the University of North Carolina
Tar Heels
(running backs coach 1978–1981; quarterbacks coach 1982–1985; offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach 1985-1987), and finally the Northwestern
Wildcats
(1988–1989; running backs).
whose contract was not renewed. In his first year the RedHawks posted a 5–5–1 record, which was a vast improvement for a team that had only won two games in the two previous years. Walker made steady improvement in his nine years, culminating with a 10–1 record in his last year with the RedHawks. This team was led by record-breaking running back
Travis Prentice
. Walker finished with 59–35–5 record including several victories over ranked opponents form major conference such as #25 Northwestern in 1995, #12 Virginia Tech in 1997 and #12 North Carolina in 1998. However, he never won the Mid-American Conference Championship.
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.
, leaving the Northwestern community stunned. He had battled a viral heart infection in the fall of 2004. On July 7, 2006 Pat Fitzgerald
was named to replace him as head coach of the Wildcats.
) and Ruth Ann Walker, he grew up in Troy, Ohio
, and graduated from Troy High School
where he played fullback
and defensive back
on the 1971 team that was picked by the Dayton Daily News
as the area's best team over the past 50 years. As a student, he sang the lead in school musicals (including Tevye
in Fiddler on the Roof
), played the violin, and was active in student government. He graduated from Miami University in 1976 with a B.A. in social studies education and, in 1981, earned his master's degree in education administration. He is survived by his wife and high-school sweetheart, Tammy (aka "Tamara"; née
Weikert), and two children, daughter Abbey and son Jamie.
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 choose to attend Miami University he followed her there. They were married in 1975.
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. He gave up his first love, baseball
, joined the track team for speed and stamina, and started lifting weights-gaining 30 pounds. Reporting to fall practice at 195-pounds, Walker would not lose another game the remaining two seasons, going 20–0, on a team that dominated opponents.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
from 1990 to 1998 and at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
from 1999 to 2005, compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 96–81–5. Walker won 59 games at Miami, more than noted coaches who preceded him such as Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
, Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
, Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
, Bill Mallory
Bill Mallory
William G. "Bill" Mallory is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , the University of Colorado at Boulder , Northern Illinois University , and Indiana University , compiling a career college football record of...
, and Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
.
Playing career
Walker had a standout season his last year in high school for the Troy TrojansTroy High School (Troy, Ohio)
Troy High School is a public high school located in Troy, Ohio and is part of the Troy City School District. The current location was built in 1958, it is with enrollment of 1,504 students. The school's mascot is the Trojan.-1969-1971 Trojans football:...
, he received recruiting offers from Big Ten schools like Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, but choose instead to follow his high school sweetheart, Tammy, to Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
(Tammy was a year older and already there).
He played three season at fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
RedHawks
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
in Oxford under head coaches Bill Mallory and Dick Crum
Dick Crum (football coach)
Dick Crum is a former American football player and coach. He served as head coach at Miami University , the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , and Kent State University , compiling a career college football record of 113–77–4...
. His teammates included current Illinois coach Ron Zook
Ron Zook
Ron Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
and NFL standouts Rob Carpenter and Sherman Smith
Sherman Smith
Sherman Smith is the running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks. He is a former offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins. He is also a former professional American football running back for eight seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers...
. 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 Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
in all three years. Miami also went to the Tangerine Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
(presently the Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
) where they beat Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1973, Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in 1974 and South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
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 Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
(1976
1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
; 13th round), but chose to become an assistant coach instead.
Coaching career
Walker was an assistant coach for the Miami UniversityMiami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
RedHawks
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
(1976–1977; running backs), then the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
Tar Heels
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
(running backs coach 1978–1981; quarterbacks coach 1982–1985; offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach 1985-1987), and finally the Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
(1988–1989; running backs).
Miami
Walker became Miami's 30th head coach, succeeding Tim RoseTim Rose (football coach)
-External links:*...
whose contract was not renewed. In his first year the RedHawks posted a 5–5–1 record, which was a vast improvement for a team that had only won two games in the two previous years. Walker made steady improvement in his nine years, culminating with a 10–1 record in his last year with the RedHawks. This team was led by record-breaking running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Travis Prentice
Travis Prentice
Travis Jason Prentice is a former American football running back. Prentice holds the NCAA Division I-A records for career rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and points scored while playing running back for the Miami RedHawks.-High school career:Prentice attended duPont Manual High School in...
. Walker finished with 59–35–5 record including several victories over ranked opponents form major conference such as #25 Northwestern in 1995, #12 Virginia Tech in 1997 and #12 North Carolina in 1998. However, he never won the Mid-American Conference Championship.
Northwestern
Randy 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 second behind Pappy WaldorfPappy Waldorf
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, , Kansas State University , Northwestern University , and the University of California, Berkeley ,...
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 attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, leaving the Northwestern community stunned. He had battled a viral heart infection in the fall of 2004. On July 7, 2006 Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald
-External links:*...
was named to replace him as head coach of the Wildcats.
Personal life
Born to Jim (an accountant with Hobart CorporationHobart Corporation
The Hobart Corporation is a manufacturer of commercial equipment used in the foodservice and grocery industry. The company manufactures food preparation machines for cutting, slicing and mixing, cooking equipment, refrigeration units, warewashing and waste disposal systems, and weighing, wrapping...
) and Ruth Ann Walker, he grew up in Troy, Ohio
Troy, Ohio
* - Sports :In addition to Troy High School athletics, Troy is home to the Miami Valley Silverbacks indoor football team of the Continental Indoor Football League....
, and graduated from Troy High School
Troy High School (Troy, Ohio)
Troy High School is a public high school located in Troy, Ohio and is part of the Troy City School District. The current location was built in 1958, it is with enrollment of 1,504 students. The school's mascot is the Trojan.-1969-1971 Trojans football:...
where he played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
on the 1971 team that was picked by the Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
as the area's best team over the past 50 years. As a student, he sang the lead in school musicals (including Tevye
Tevye
Tevye the Dairyman is the protagonist of several of Sholem Aleichem's stories, originally written in Yiddish and first published in 1894. The character became best known from the fictional memoir Tevye and his Daughters , about a pious Jewish milkman in Tsarist Russia, and the troubles he has with...
in Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
), played the violin, and was active in student government. He graduated from Miami University in 1976 with a B.A. in social studies education and, in 1981, earned his master's degree in education administration. He is survived by his wife and high-school sweetheart, Tammy (aka "Tamara"; née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Weikert), and two children, daughter Abbey and son Jamie.
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 choose to attend Miami University he followed her there. They were married in 1975.
In an interview in 2000, Walker told Skip Myslenski of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
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. He gave up his first love, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, joined the track team for speed and stamina, and started lifting weights-gaining 30 pounds. Reporting to fall practice at 195-pounds, Walker would not lose another game the remaining two seasons, going 20–0, on a team that dominated opponents.