Leach has a pretty d-line coach in his backyard...

[YakiCoug]

(ooops, I meant a pretty good d-line coach) .... and he was one of the best recruiters on both Price's and Doba's staffs (emphasis on Doba's staff). Mike Walker is knowledgeable and articulate. He's coached two conference champions (and, thus, two in two Rose Bowls), which is much more than the outgoing d-line coach has done anywhere.

 

[ElComanche]

Mike Walker must be 60 years old at least. What has he been doing for the last five years?

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Per his WSU coaching bio from back in the day, he was born April 7, 1958.

I have no idea if he still has the fire in his belly that is required to make the recruiting trips and stay up late with the "film" study.

I will say, though, that he was quite effective in his '40's.

 

[Coug90]

He was a badass. Players loved that guy. If he's still got it, he'd be a good replacement for sure.

 

[Coug1990]

(ooops, I meant a pretty good d-line coach) .... and he was one of the best recruiters on both Price's and Doba's staffs (emphasis on Doba's staff). Mike Walker is knowledgeable and articulate. He's coached two conference champions (and, thus, two in two Rose Bowls), which is much more than the outgoing d-line coach has done anywhere.

I don't agree. He was a great recruiter under Price. He was average to below under Doba.

 

[ElComanche]

The staff seemingly got tired and really did not do a great job of recruiting for Doba. If it was age,or lack of direction and discipline is unknown. He is not a leach man so he will not be considered anyway.

 

[Glad Cougar]

Mike Walker must be 60 years old at least. What has he been doing for the last five years?

Still younger than our head basketball coach and his two top assistants.

Glad Cougar

 

[cr8zyncalif]

I think you have to discount the crappy recruiting during the Doba years. With Phlugrad as recruiting coordinator and Doba partly out of it, nothing was going to happen unless a leader emerged. There were no leaders. There were guys who could have been a great supporting cast, and Walker was one of them, but there were no leaders. Nobody respected Phlu, for good reason, and he had no stroke what so ever in getting the guys to do the hard work of recruiting…even if he had tried to do so, which I'm pretty convinced he did not do his last 2 years in the job. One of the mysteries of mankind is how Phlugrad talked himself into the Montana job. Oregon sniffed him out quickly.

 

[YakiCoug]

Still younger than our head basketball coach and his two top assistants.

Glad Cougar

But they're recruiting as if their pants are on fire ....

 

[YakiCoug]

I don't agree. He was a great recruiter under Price. He was average to below under Doba.

Walker was the one who talked Jeshua Anderson away from the ducks. Truth be told, he was virtually the only AC holding up his end during the time Doba was watching his wife die. Most if not all the others were resting on their laurel-covered arses. But the question about his inactivity over the past several years is legitimate. I believe his wife is a teacher in Pullman, and they both love the Pullman community. I don't think he's gotten lazy.

 

[SDCoug]

I believe his wife is a teacher in Pullman, and they both love the Pullman community. I don't think he's gotten lazy.

I went to junior high and high school with his wife. Haven't spoke in quite some time but I checked the school website and she is still teaching at the middle school. Looks like Mike works for one of the local banks.

 

[ElComanche]

There are better candidates variable working in the coaching ranks today. Walker is finished with that part of his life