It couldn’t happen to a nicer, more deserving guy. I wish you all the best in the years to come. NMSU has landed a tireless worker, recruiter and a true football mind. I don’t doubt you will soon make drastic improvements in their win/loss columns.

Thank you for everything you have done for UCLA. From restoring our defense to reaching out to youngsters on the recruiting trail, and for the integrity you displayed before, during, and after the coaching search to replace Coach Dorrell. You will always be a Bruin in my book.

Burn a bridge one day and have a great job open up the next.

But, oops, no path to that great job because you destroyed the path.

No, you would not have been the DC, but you might have gotten a job a bit better than the lap dog/flack catcher position you now hold.

Didn’t CRN find a staff position for Eric Scott? Is he still involved in our recruiting?

If this story is true, best wishes to Coach Walker.

And, as 66 noted, it’s never wise to burn bridges.

Kenny might have been in position for the UCLA DC job. CRN’s statement clearly indicates he is (rightfully) out of the running. If he had been offered the DC job and accepted it, and then done well, he might have been in position to be a head coach somewhere someday, a la CDW.

What a shame.

He was hired as an administrative assistant when CRN took over because there wasn’t any room on the staff. Hunley coached at USC, Missouri and Florida before moving onto the NFL and working with Washington and Cincinnati. Hunley has too much experience to be an administrative assistant and I figured when we hired him that he was just sticking around the program until Walker left.

if CRN looked into a coach with an NFL backround, ala DW (and NC). Seeing as we got DW from the Redskins (secondary coach), I would expect CRN to at least look at candidates in similar positions.

Good luck DW, it was great having you here.

1. Nestor…thanks…thanks for NOTHING for posting that video. I was there. First row behind the band. Four downs from the 6. I died that day. I finally got over it about a week ago, maybe 10 days, at the most. And then there it is again. Ow…….

2. More importantly, congrats and best wishes to HCDW. I hope he has great success with NMSU (a relative term). While I think we will be fine from a schematic/X’s and O’s standpoint, I also think that losing him now is (at least temporarily) detrimental to recruiting and establishing the identitiy of this program going forward. I’m looking forward to seeing how CRN handles this. Maybe he has some pull with D coaches with the Ravens…

To you coach for being the architect behind 13-9, probably the greatest sporting event I have ever attended.

Congratulations Head Coach Walker! Although I would have loved to have you around for the next few years, I am happy that your excellence has been rewarded. It looks like I have a team to cheer for in the WAC now.

Chuck Bullough is the current LB coach, Todd Howard is the DL coach.

I’ve been searching the ’net to see whether he was actually offered the job and turned it down. Or, whether he actually interviewed for the job and withdrew his name.

The most I could find were some rumors that (1) he had gone to New Mexico to interview; and (2) that he withdrew his name from the process.

However, I can find nothing to substantiate that he actually interviewed. And, nothing to substantiate that he received and actual offer that he turned down.

Maybe one of you with better research skills can find a real source to support the interview and/or offer.

If not, I’m wondering if this “I was offered the HC job and turned it down” story is but another TBS fantasy just like the one about CRN telling people we would hire TBS if DW left.

Would have liked him to stay around for another year or two, but can’t blame him for taking a HC position. Best of luck to him at NMSU, and for a long, rewarding career as the top dog oh a program.

You will forever have Bruin fans’ gratitude for 13-9 and instilling some toughness in the team when the head coach was unable to do so.

1. CRN knew that DW would get the NMSU job

2. CRN told Kenny that DW would get the NMSU job and that he would be a candidate for the DC job

3. Kenny, interested in the UCLA DC job, declined to interview for the NMSU HC job

4. Petey got a whiff of what was about to happen (even if CRN didn’t tell Kenny anything, Petey did a pre-emptive strike…and we all love those don’t we)

5. Petey “sugessted” that Kenny go to the press to clear the air (i.e. made him an offer he couldn’t refuse)

6. Kenny the poodle went along with the Sith’s wishes

7. Bridges burned. Loser: Kenny. Winner: CRN (and Petey, unfortunately)

The gentleman in all this? DeWayne Walker (and CRN too, of course). I really wish Coach Walker a successful stint at NMSU, I hope he does for them what he did for our defense. He is a good coach, good recruiter and a great person. Thank you for being a great ambassador and representative for UCLA.

All of us who have started working for others and ended up working for ourselves know how strong the flame to do it on your own can burn. DW, may your flame be steady, long of life, and bright (do you think this message has been influenced by Hanukah?)

Your time has come and I am pleased you have this opportunity.

What I will remember most about your tenure here is your passion and enthusiasm and the fact that you had to be the beacon of intensity in someone else’s program. I will also remember the fact that, even though you did not get the job you wanted, you were a stand up team mate to CRN and NC.

Like all here, I will be cheering for you and your team.

There are many here who love Rocky Long. And, we know that CRN respects him.

But, some times love isn’t enough. A while back, Nestor mentioned that converting to RL’s system might take a year or two — and it might be that CRN does not feel he has time to rebuild on the D side of the ball.

Or, it may be that, as rye has pointed out, CRN brought in the replacement when he came last year.

Or, it may be that RL prefers the SD job over ours for personal or professional reasons.

Going down Tasser’s path, one can speculate that knowing that DW would be gone, CRN and RL talked and that it was decided that RL would not come here. Pure speculation.

The bottom line: NC and CRN know what we need to play the D that will win a conference championship — and they will bring in someone who can get the job done.

Well deserved and well earned.

I, for one, will be secretly rooting for the Aggies to do well.

Lets hope we don’t meet them in some dumpy bowl game next year but I suspect it will take DW and his assistants to turn that program around in 2 or 3 years. By then we should be in the National Championship picture hopefully.

Happy New Year to all.

Be safe out there.

Much good will come to the Bruin Nation in 09.