Eagles football fans may soon be feeling the same way.
At 5:34 p.m. Wednesday, an excited Ryan ended the 20-day search for Rogers’ next athletic director and head football coach by announcing that Liberty Hill assistant head coach Jeff Walker had been hired by a 7-0 vote of the Rogers school board.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Walker, who helped Liberty Hill win Class 3A state championships the last two years and will be a head coach for the first time. “I can’t sleep at night. I’m grateful for them giving me a chance to show what I can do. Not letting the community down is big to me, too.
“I’ve heard great things. I’ve heard the kids work hard. I’m excited about the opportunity. I’m bringing a lot of passion.”
Walker, 40, is the fifth Rogers coach in the last 45 years. He replaces John Stillwell, who had a 42-18 record in five seasons as head coach after five years as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
Stillwell resigned last month after reaching a mutual resolution with the school district.
Ryan said she received more than 80 applications, including ones from people associated with the NFL, Canadian Football League, Arena Football League, college football and from 5A high schools down to six-man. But Walker’s excellent coaching background and personality left an indelible impression that Ryan and the Rogers school board couldn’t pass up.
“He is simply the best,” Ryan said. “When I went through the applications, I put a star on his and marked it. I know he’s it. And when he came in for his interview, he blew away our school committee. Absolutely, (he was the) unanimous No. 1 with all of us.
“We know we have brought the best to Rogers. He is going to do some wonderful things and continue our fine traditions. Our kids are going to have a great time with him. We’re so lucky to have him.”
Walker served as offensive coordinator at Liberty Hill for the last six years, helping the Panthers to a 70-12 record, six straight double-digit victory seasons and consecutive 3A state championships. Liberty Hill, which owns a 24-game winning streak, edged Celina for the Division II title in 2006 and beat Gilmer for the Division I crown last season.
That success has largely been attributed to a vaunted, relentless rushing game that is one of the most devastating offensive attacks in the state. The Panthers have had five different 2,000-yard rushers in the last four years, including three in 2004 when Liberty Hill posted the third-highest rushing output in Texas high school history.
Rogers has operated out of the spread formation in recent years, but Walker plans to switch the Eagles to his ground-heavy scheme.
“We’ll be running the Slot-T,” said Walker, who spent three years as a junior high coach in San Marcos. “We’ll make some adjustments with the kids here. I want to incorporate what they’ve been doing for awhile. I don’t want to come in and change their world, but we’re going to run the Slot-T. That’s what I know.”
One of Walker’s first duties will be finding a new baseball coach. Craig Coheley, who led the Eagles to the 2A state championship in 2007, resigned last month and moved to 3A Farmersville. Ryan said the search for a baseball coach has already begun and Walker will lead a committee to fill the coaching vacancy.
“He is definitely full of victories - we all know that - but he is going to be that man who leads our kids in such an ethical, moral and respectable way,” Ryan concluded. “That’s what I’m most excited about."
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
Text size
Email to a friend
Listen to article
Print version
