Official: Walker Joins the Crew

is he a 3-4 guy?

I don't know enough about this guy. So far, he's the only new coach that I'm a bit iffy on. He doesn't seem to have a hell of a lot of pro experience. I understand that PC will be the real head of the defense, but I would like to have seen someone with more NFL experience here. I am hugely exicted for Gibbs, Norton, and Bates, though. Here's hoping that Walker will be successful.

I don't really get this hire. Everyone else seems to fit perfectly. Usually D coordinators out of college get jobs as position coaches like Ken Norton. I don't really see in his experience where it says Walker is the best possible D Coordinator that we can hire. Can someone explain please? I also haven't seen this posted any where else except at the above link.

Wow!
This is just like xmas the presents keep coming.
were so lucky to have P. Allen as our owner. The seahawk dream is alive and well

Walker was Pete Carroll's first hire once he became head coach of the USC Trojans in 2001; Walker oversaw the secondary and had spent the previous three seasons in a similar role with the New England Patriots. When Carroll hired Walker, he noted "He was with me in the NFL, and he was able to learn my style and understand my system"

Between USC and coaching the UCLA Bruins, Walker was a secondary coach for the National Football League Washington Redskins and New York Giants. He has also coached for the New England Patriots and at Mount San Antonio College, Utah State, BYU, Oklahoma State and California

In December 2006, his defense held the rival USC Trojans football team to under 10 points for the first time since 2001. It helped the Bruins end a seven game losing streak in the UCLA-USC rivalry.

98-2000 New England DB
2001 USC DB
2002-03 New York Giants DB
04-05 Washington Redskins DB
06-08 UCLA DC !
09 New Mexico State Univ. HC (3-10) rec

In 2007, the Bruin defense once again found itself listed among the national leaders in several categories. UCLA ranked 14th in rushing defense (109.2 yards per game), 29th in total defense (343.23 yards), 29th in scoring defense (22.3 points), and 32nd in pass efficiency defense (115.26). The Bruins also ranked second nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.77), third in third down conversion defense (29.1%), tied for 15th in sacks per game average (3.0) and tied for 17th in fumbles caused (14). Defensive backs Trey Brown (tied for first, 1.77/g) and Alterraun Verner (tied for 11th, 1.46/g) ranked among the nation's best in the passes defensed category, while defensive end Bruce Davis ranked tied for ninth in the nation in sacks per game (.92).

In 2006, the Bruins were among the national leaders in rushing defense (tied for ninth in the NCAA and tied for first in the Pac-10 with 91.08 yards per game) and total defense (33rd nationally at 304.83) and allowed almost half as many touchowns (27) as the previous year (4. UCLA allowed 91.1 yards per game, 2.83 yards per rush and just nine touchdowns on the ground, the first time since 1985 that the Bruins had allowed fewer yards per game on the ground. The Bruin defense also ranked fifth nationally in third-down conversion defense (28.4%, 50 of 176). Walker joined the Bruins from the Washington Redskins, where he had coached the secondary, specifically the cornerbacks, the previous two seasons (2004-05) under head coach Joe Gibbs and highly-respected defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. In 2005, the Redskins won 10 of 16 regular-season games, including their final five straight, to earn a wild-card berth in the playoffs. Washington defeated Tampa Bay in Florida, before dropping a 20-10 decision to the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks on the road.

The Redskins ranked No. 1 among the NFL's 32 teams in lowest opponent passing percentage (54.4%). In addition, they also ranked second (tied) in fewest touchdown passes allowed (15), 10th in pass defense (192.6 yards) and 14th (tied) in interceptions (16). Walker played a key role in the development of rookie cornerback Carlos Rogers and the continued fine play of Shawn Springs. In 2004, his first year in Washington, Springs became the first cornerback in NFL history to lead his team in sacks (five) and interceptions (six) in the same season and finished the year with 69 tackles. He also tutored veterans Walt Harris and Fred Smoot in that first year.

Walker spent the previous two seasons (2002-03) as secondary coach of the New York Giants under coordinator Johnnie Lynn, a former Bruin. Prior to joining the Giants, Walker spent the 2001 season as associate head coach/secondary coach at USC under Pete Carroll and was the first staff member hired by Carroll. That season, the Trojans ranked seventh nationally with 19 interceptions and also ranked 16th nationally in pass defense (179.2 yards) and 16th (tied) in fewest touchdown passes allowed (11).

He also served as secondary coach of the New England Patriots for three seasons, the first two (1998 and 1999) under Carroll and the third (2000) under Bill Belichick. During his tenure with the Patriots, defensive backs Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy each earned trips to the Pro Bowl.



Enjoy!

I hope we retain Bradley in some fashion, I'd hate to see him become some other team's DC and become the next Jim Johnson or Rex Ryan. The guy had a lot of promise and he was a favorite of mine.

I agree Omar. Despite his inconsistent defense, Bradley showed smarts and some of his schemes worked tremendously well. He was just not ready to be DC. HOpefully Pete fits him in somewhere.

Bruto you deserve a medal. Great info. Thank you.

DeWayne Walker was brought in to coach the secondary primarily. If nortons coaching the linebackers, and Carroll is calling the plays, he's either coaching D-line or secondary. I guarantee it is the latter. Just look at his history.

Mora was not a bad coach, he was bad at hiring good positional coaches. I think this was Carroll's problem early on in his career. It is obvious Pete has made some amazing connections, and is going to rock the NFL like no coach from the college ranks has done in a while!

Can we please get off the 3-4 defense it's not happening.

The closest thing we will have as a 3-4 is when the end play stand up in what's called an "elephant" position.

We are a better team already with the coaches are bringing in. Me Like!!

What makes you so sure we won't be making the switch to a 3-4? Our LB Corp is the obvious strength of our defense. Why wouldn't a line-up of Hill, Tatupu, Hawthorne, and Curry work? We would obviously need to get another big bodied DE, but the move would also allow us to jettison our overpaid and smaller DE's. I know we don't have an ideal nose tackle, but think that Cole would do a descent job. Could Mebane play a hybrid DE/DT? I'm not sure. Any opinions?

Does anybody know what kind of defense New Mexico State ran last year? I can't find anything online. Any help?

I watched several videos on New Mexico States games in 09, and from what I saw they looked to be playing 3-4 alot. But he was the Head Coach at New Mexico State, not the defensive coordinator. The defenses I saw used during his tenure at UCLA as a defensive coordinator were 4-3 based. Hope that helps.

Leroy Hill will not be a 3-4 OLB. Most 3-4 defenses need their OLB's big and fast, like Aaron Curry. I really was believing that Pete Carroll would bring in the 3-4 but after most of Lofa's quotes yesterday and today it looks like the 4-3 is going to stay. Pete Carroll is salivating of the possibilities with Aaron Curry. I figure he will get rid of Kerney and solidify Lawrence Jackson as the starter. This off season is going to be a mind blower at who comes and who goes. He will keep Lawyer Milloy just because of the fact he played in New England during Pete's time years back.

The system Pete Carroll says Walker was able to learn and understand has always been a 4-3. I don't expect that to change now that he's back in the pro's.

If you want to learn and understand the "system" too, this is a good place to start:

http://www.trojanfootballanaly.../?p=1062=1

(I've already posted this URL in another thread, but I think it's worth posting again in this one, because people are still talking about switching to a 3-4.)

To dig deeper into the 3-4 , its prolly not going to happen but what if the coaching staff pulls the ultimate plug : Plays Curry At DE???!??!?!? What a shocker, SOmeone with very limited COV skills( which i thought was his strength coming into the league) and moving him down on the edge to rush 40% of the game? just a thought if we are to retain all our LB's

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_...i_14173183

He says all the press about it is ridiculous...lol