JEFF WALKER Assistant Coach
Not many coaches in the country come with the credentials that Jeff Walker owns. When Kermit Davis hired Walker as an assistant, it was very obvious the Blue Raiders had someone on board who knew how to win and how to rebuild programs in the right way. Walker, who hails from Nashville, is a very valuable asset on the Blue Raider staff. His extensive contacts in the state of Tennessee, particularly in the Memphis area, will pay big dividends in recruiting in the years to come. He will head the staff’s recruiting efforts in the state along with his duties nationally. “Jeff’s Tennessee basketball background will be key in our recruiting efforts in our home state,” said Davis. “Jeff has been a successful high school and college coach in our state and brings excellent head coaching experience to our staff. In just two years, Jeff turned Grayson College around from a onewin season to a 20-win program with national recognition. I know he’ll be an integral part of our efforts to rebuild the Blue Raider program as well.” Walker comes to Middle Tennessee from Grayson County College in
Denison, Texas, after putting together a 20-10 record and garnering the first-ever national ranking in the program’s history. Walker, who led his team to as high as 13th in the national polls during his final season, went 17-13 in the previous season after taking over a program that had posted a 1-29 mark in the 1999-2000 campaign. That type of turnaround has become a refrain in Walker’s coaching career. He was credited with the biggest turnaround at any level of collegiate basketball with the 16-game improvement at Grayson after also achieving the same feat while head coach at Hiwassee Junior College in Madisonville, Tenn., during the 1998-99 campaign. Walker took over at Hiwassee with the 1998-99 team and went 20-9 after a 423 record in the previous season. In his next season with Hiwassee, Walker’s charges tallied a 22-9 record and went on
to win the Tennessee Junior College Athletic Association state title. Prior to his stint at Hiwassee, Walker was the head coach for one season at San Diego Mesa College, putting together a 12-17 record. However, once again Walker worked some magic, improving his club from a 5-23 record in the prior season. Walker’s resume also includes some time in professional basketball. He was the head coach and general manager of the Memphis Fire in the United States Basketball League from 1993 to 1996, managing an 18-16 record in two years prior to the team’s folding. His 1995 squad was 8-0 and in first place when the team went under. He also spent time in the Global Basketball Association as the head coach and GM of the Mid-Michigan Great Lakers in 1992 to 1993 and the Huntsville Lasers from 1991 to 1992. Walker’s first head coaching stint came at Raleigh-Egypt High School in Memphis, where he resurrected a program in the Memphis City League. In 1989-90 his team went 13-13, a 12-game improvement over the team’s 1-26 record in the prior season. His 1990-91 squad went 18-9, which was good enough for a school record for wins at the time. The Nashville native began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Belmont University, in 1987. From there, he moved to Tennessee State as an assistant coach for the 1988-89 campaign. Walker garnered quite a reputation for developing talent. He produced two USBL rookies of the year and five of his players from the USBL and GBA went on to play in the NBA. He has coached 11 NBA draft picks, including two players who were lottery picks. He has coached 12 collegiate All-Americans and 19 high school All-Americans. He also has direct ties to the Middle Tennessee program. He coached former Blue Raider point guard D’Marius Wilkes while at Hiwassee and current Blue Raider Marcus Robinson while at Grayson County. Walker, 41, attended high school at Glencliff in Nashville before obtaining his bachelor’s degree at Belmont. He earned his master’s degree at Tennessee State. He and his wife Lynne have two children, Gracie (17) and Rex (12).
The Walker Family (L-R): Rex, Lynne, Jeff, and Gracie
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2003-04 BLUE RAIDER BASKETBALL