Supposedly the New Mexico State job is likely to be taken by Bama OC McElwain. Walker was reported to be seeking this job. http://www.tigersportszone.net/articles
A lot of UCLA fans are resigned to the fact that Walker is probably gone, but most think it's because he will take the NM State gig. It's either him or McElwain.
According to the local newspaper is Las Cruces, NM (home of New Mexico State): Today -- Walker is the lead candidate [at New Mexico State] -- DeWayne Walker will come to Las Cruces on Monday...Walker will meet administration, take a tour of the campus (LINK) According to the Los Angeles Daily News: Yesterday -- UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker emerged as the leading candidate for the New Mexico State head coaching job and will meet with administrators and get a tour of the campus Monday, according to sources. A job offer...could be given during Walker's visit to the Las Cruces campus. It is expected Walker would accept an offer. Walker already spoke several times with Aggies athletic director McKinely Boston, and the two have a previous connection. (LINK)
Let's see...Head coach of a school that most people have never heard of...or DC at a school that plays on TV every Sat. and has won two MNC's in the last five years...:huh: How could this be a hard choice? One thing though...if he is so dead set on being a HC, then good luck to him. I would like to see a guy who would come in and stay for a few years. Chavis may be that guy. Walker taking a tour of NMS campus on Monday kinda blows what I heard out of the water. If true, I doubt he is the guy we hire. Like everyone else, I'm hearing that we already have our guy. Must be Chavis then...Hell, who knows?
A lot of it depends on how much NM State (WAC conference) offers to pay him. In a Dec 2 article, the NM State AD said that they were willing to offer a new coach anywhere up to $1 million/year, depending on the candidate's qualifications. At the end of the 2007 season, DeWayne Walker made $330k/year at UCLA (at least one report said it has been raised to over $400k/year since then). NM State's in-state rival New Mexico (Mountain West conference) just hired Mike Locksley for $750k/year Without looking it up, I believe LSU pays Crowton $400k/year, that we paid Pelini $350k/year, and that the co-DCs made $400k/year ($200k each).
Give him $400k with a bump to $500k if we win the BCS CG and his defense is top five in total yards or scoring.
Or go be the HC for NMS for $750 k/yr, have strong recruiting ties to SoCal, Az, Utah, and NV, create a really good team in the conference, enjoy beating up on WAC, MWC, Sunbelt, and an occasional Pac - 10 foe, build an even bigger name for himself: and in 3 yrs write his own ticket for a HC position at BCS Conf school. Yep, that sounds nowhere near as good as DC for LSU. Not saying that being our DC is a less of a career choice for Walker, just that I can see why he might make the choice of NMS instead. Then again he could be a flop and then that plan could shoot him down for a very long time. Whereas he could be made to look better than he is, just by being in a system like LSU.
