[NU Sports] walker extension?

[Brad Wilson]

I have been generally agnostic on Randy Walker, though
I tend to defend him because, in my career as a sports
writer and editor, I have seen too many teams fire
coaches left and right and suffer from it (see the
Philadelphia 76ers, say, or Indiana football).

Walker's teams have faults -- shaky defenses,
frequently disappointing special teams, infuriating
numbers of penalties to name three. His teams also
have strengths -- offense in general, esp. the
offensive line and running game; a certain
perseverance and pluck that some BT teams noticeably
lack (Minnesota comes to mind); the ability to attract
quality assistants such as Dunbar and Fitz; the
ability to be clever at the right times (ie, the trick
play that beat Wisconsin in 2003) and -- a tendency
noted in the national media -- his ability to win in
the BT with players other BT schools did not want. 

Frankly, I like his aw-shucks demeanor and his
willingness to show emotion (he told the ESPN guy
after the Iowa game he was "about to break down" on
camera, an admission I can't see many coaches making);
I see too many egomanical ultra-serious football
coaches.

Off the field, Walker's players graduate and usually
avoid the police or NCAA blotter -- huge pluses in my
book. The black mark off the field is the Wheeler
tragedy and it's obviously a big one.

I don't think there's any question this year has been
Walker's best as a coach -- he had a ton of talent in
2000, and 2003 had a jerry-rigged, house-of-cards feel
to it, though it was a lot of fun -- given the
graduation and injury losses. Making a reasonable
assumption that NU loses at OSU and defeats Illinois,
it comes out to 7-4, 5-3 in the Big Ten.
2003/2004/2005 add up to (under assumption above)
19-17 overall, 14-10 in the Big Ten.

Now, as many have noted, such numbers would result in
a heave-ho in Columbus or Ann Arbor. But NU isn't OSU
or Michigan, so the question that has to be asked is,
is 19-17/14-10 good enough to justify an extension in
Evanston?

I say yes, with a caveat or two. It appears as if NU
may on the verge of the kind of sustained success --
which, remember, even Barnett could not deliver --
unseen at Dyche since Ara's reign in the early 1960's.
Right now, stability is the key to keep a good thing
going. While a Baz-and-McGarigle-less 2006 may not
look promising, 2005 looked even less so, and 2007 may
be a truly special season given the young talent and
more favorable BT slate.

It is certainly possible, I will admit, that NU could
dismiss Walker and hire the next Urban Meyer or Bob
Stoops. It is also possible NU could fire Walker and
wind up with the next Rick Venturi (nooooooooo!!!). 

I say stick with Walker and reward him with an
extension (would help recruiting). If I was Mark
Murphy, I would, however, insist he at least look at
replacing Colby and I would definitely demand a Frank
Beamer-type be hired to coach special teams. 

I am not as passionate a defender of Walker as Coach
Roy is, and I see where his critics make excellent
points. But on the whole the balance tips pretty
decisively towards keeping him, so let's do it now and
make the commitment to Walker that he has earned.

Brad Wilson
 





"Entertainment is what which you receive without effort. Art is something where you must make some kind of effort, and you get more than you had before." -- Charles Wuorinen

"Quis ipsos custodes custodiet?" -- Juvenal


		
__________________________________ 
Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page! 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs