Utah State football: Bruins' DeWayne Walker interested in USU job

Utah State would love to grab a little attention when it hires its next head football coach.

Rather than settle for local headlines, the Aggies just might get some national spotlight if one certain candidate is hired — and that doesn't necessarily mean former USU, Louisville and Michigan State coach John. L. Smith.

Former USU and BYU assistant coach DeWayne Walker, currently in his third year as the defensive coordinator at UCLA, told the Deseret News on Monday he is interested in the vacancy at Utah State.

"I've coached there before and, from what I understand, the facilities are much better and they're in the WAC," Walker said. "I haven't had a lot of time to talk serious with them about the job, but it's one I'd like to talk more about."

The reason Walker would attract a national spotlight is simple — he would be one of only a handful of African-American head coaches in the country. There are currently only four out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaching positions

nationwide.

Aside from that, he is also an experienced young coach who brings an interesting resume to the table for USU athletic director Scott Barnes and president Stan Albrecht to consider.

In addition to his three years as defensive coordinator with the Bruins — which includes a short stint as interim head coach during the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl after Karl Dorrell was fired — Walker spent a number of seasons in the NFL as a secondary coach. He also worked with Pete Carroll at USC, where he was the associate head coach/secondary coach in 2001.

Walker coached for one season at USU in 1993 before spending a year at BYU. At Utah State, he helped the Aggies reach the Las Vegas Bowl, beating Ball State for the only bowl victory in school history.

Sources close to the USU coaching search said Barnes and Albrecht traveled to Los Angeles last week to meet with Walker during UCLA's bye week. Walker said he didn't want to disclose how much contact he has had with Utah State but that more is needed before he would agree to become the head coach at any school.

"It's been a while since I've been on that campus," Walker said. "But I've done some research and, when you've been an assistant coach for a while, you've got to take a look at these opportunities if you can get them."

UCLA (4-6) plays Arizona State on Friday before closing the regular season against USC.