Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker to remain on UCLA staff

1/2/2008 11:07 PM

By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker will remain at UCLA under new coach Rick Neuheisel.

When Neuheisel was hired last weekend, he said his first ``recruiting'' job would be to keep Walker as the defensive coordinator. Walker had interviewed for the Bruins' head coaching job.

The 47-year-old Walker served as interim coach in UCLA's 17-16 loss to No. 19 BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl after Karl Dorrell was fired on Dec. 3. Walker also was interviewed recently by Washington coach Tyrone Willingham about joining the Huskies' staff.

Walker has been credited with building a solid defense at UCLA, and is known as an outstanding recruiter.

``I'm thrilled to death that he's chosen to stay,'' Neuheisel said Wednesday night in making the announcement. ``I hope this partnership lasts until someone comes along and snatches him up as a head coach.''

Defensive line coach Todd Howard and linebackers coach Chuck Bullough also will remain in their jobs at UCLA.

``All three have been coveted by other programs,'' Neuheisel said. ``All three are top-notch guys, have proven their mettle.''

Contract details haven't been worked out, Walker said, but he is confident he will be treated fairly.

``I'd take a 10-year deal if I could get one,'' he said.

Explaining his decision to stay in Westwood, Walker said, ``It's really just trying to finish what I started. I wanted to return to college football to be a defensive coordinator, but also to win a championship.''

Walker complimented Willingham, saying he ``did a great job of trying to recruit myself, the other guys.''

``He did a great job of selling the program, but we sat down and put all the pieces together and decided this is the place we're supposed to be,'' Walker said. ``He was thorough, he was honest. It was one of the toughest calls I've had to make, to tell him I was going to stay a Bruin.''