[NU Sports] Walker's Future

[DPENDERG at aol.com]

Roy's upbeat look at Randy Walker's contribution to the NU  football program 
(and I applaud much of what Roy points out) neglects  a couple of critical 
points. 
 
His overall record is 32-43 in six years, which at top D-IA programs would  
mean a coach looking for a real estate agent.  Now if we're ready to settle  
for a program and a head coach with a losing record because he has character,  
maintains academic standards and delivers an occasional upset, then let's just  
acknowledge that acceptance of gilded mediocrity.  But don't expect alumni  
support or box office success at Ryan unless you put up W's.  This is  big-time 
football and not Division III.  
 
Second, we have had during Walker's tenure one of the worst defenses in  D-IA 
football. Whether or not the talent or coaching is something we can  discuss, 
but the repeated blowouts and defensive meltdowns (as in the last drive  by 
PSU) are just inexcusable.  And, unless that outrageous problem is  corrected 
this year or next, I predict we will see the end of Randy Walker  as head coach 
at Northwestern.  
 
In a message dated 9/29/2005 9:39:03 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rstetson at capps-assoc.com writes:

Since  I've been mentioned by name here I will take time from my busy
professional  day...

I'm not sure what Murphy's comments mean in regards to Randy  Walker's future,
but I know that unless your kid has been "run off" by the  Walker regime, or
imagines that he's been "run off" by Walker, most NU  players of this era 
players
think they've had a pretty decent time under  Randy Walker.

Let's look at the record:
Quoting Walker's Bio on NU  sports [easier to cut and paste]:
1. He's maintained NU high academics -  what made Trevor Rees such a
disappointment was that he's the first NU  starter to be academically 
ineligible
in his 6 years here.

2. On the  academic front, his recruiting class of 1998-99 all graduated  
[100%]
winning NU the 2005 AFCA Academic Achievement Award, tying Duke.  

3. In 2003, Northwestern earned a trip to the Motor City Bowl by  winning 
four of
its last six Big Ten games. That was Walker's second bowl  season after his
magical 2000 season when Northwestern went from last to  first in the Big Ten 
in
just his second season at the Wildcat helm. For his  2000 achievements, Walker
was named the Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the  Year and the Region 3 Coach 
of
the Year by the American Football Coaches  Association (AFCA).

4. Since the modern era began for college football  in 1947, Northwestern has 
won
six or more games in back-to-back seasons  just twice -- in 1970-71 and 
1995-96.
Walker became the third Wildcat coach  to accomplish the modern-era feat this
past year following NU's 6-6 season.  Should the Wildcats get another six-win
season in 2005, it will mean a  third bowl appearance under Walker, making him
the first NU mentor to guide  three different teams to the postseason.

5. Since arriving in Evanston,  Walker also has a number of firsts and
significant accomplishments under  his belt:

. first NU football coach to own victories over all 10 Big  Ten Conference 
foes
. first NU coach since Pappy Waldorf (1935-46) to  record three 
six-or-more-win
seasons
. first NU coach to beat Ohio State  in Evanston since 1958, and the first to
beat the Buckeyes since 1971
.  first NU coach to beat Penn State at Beaver Stadium

Anyway, those who  don't like RW's style, etc, seem to hang on any and every
excuse to get rid  of him. I happen to like the concept of the same coach for
more than 4  years. NU as a way station to a better coaching job led to 30 
years
of  defeats. Even St. Gary saw the handwriting on the wall after the Rose  
Bowl
year, and started looking around.

Gee Bob, weren't you the guy  who report on the NU Assistants all checking out
homes in Austin when he  was rumored to be getting the Texas job?

rsl   

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton -  Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates
and  Publisher of Purple Reign, 
The Scout.com Northwestern University  Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle:  CoachRoy74

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> -----Original Message-----
> From:  nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com 
> [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On  Behalf Of BSchooler at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 12:11  AM
> To: jleonard518 at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
>  Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Walker's Future
> 
> 
> Regarding  Walker's future, I think it's important to remember 
> what Mark  
> Murphy said in his first interview after being hired as 
>  Northwestern's AD. He said 
> something like our student athletes having  a positive 
> experience is just as 
> important as wins and  losses. I applauded these sentiments; 
> some thought it was 
>  settling for mediocrity. 
> 
> In any case, I don't think Mark  Murphy's rather progressive 
> criteria for 
> evaluating success  bodes well for Randy Walker's future. That 
> and the continuing  
> shortcomings with recruiting, special teams and the defense. 
>  I know Roy 
> Lamberton and others will disagree, but that's my opinion  
> based on what I know. 
> 
> Bob Schooler
>  _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site  list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com 
>  http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>  


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