UCLA's Walker named New Mexico St. coach

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker has been hired as New Mexico State's new head coach.

NMSU athletic director McKinley Boston announced the hiring Tuesday. The university scheduled a news conference Wednesday morning to formally introduce Walker.

Walker, in his third season with UCLA, visited NMSU on Monday and met with administrators and toured the athletic facilities.

He will replace Hal Mumme, who was fired in early December after the Aggies went 3-9 last fall, including a 1-7 mark in the Western Athletic Conference.

Walker becomes the seventh black head coach at the 119 major college football schools, and fourth hired this month, along with Mike Haywood at Miami of Ohio, Mike Locksley at New Mexico and Ron English at Eastern Michigan.

The 48-year-old Walker has a major rebuilding project on his hands with New Mexico State. The Aggies lost their last seven games to end the season and own the nation's current longest streak without a bowl appearance, last playing in the 1960 Sun Bowl.