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University of Massachusets Athletics
Football
Walker, Charles
Charles Walker
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator
- Email:
- cbwalker@umass.edu
- Phone:
- 545-2026
2017 Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Assistant Coach of the Year
Season at Massachusetts: Fifth
Alma Mater: Massachusetts '08
Charles Walker is in his fifth season with the UMass football staff and begins his first as the special teams coordinator in 2018-19.
Walker served in multiple linebacker-related roles over his four completed seasons with the program, culminating in one of the strongest seasons by a UMass linebacking unit in program history in 2017.
All three starters - Jarell Addo, Bryton Barr and Steve Casali - finished among the top-five Minutemen in total tackles while the trio combined for 21.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. Following the season, Barr and Casali won Phil Steele All-Independent awards, while Barr was also tagged an All-ECAC recipient.
Walker served as the outside linebackers coach for the 2014 season and moved to inside linebackers prior to the 2015 season. Walker's role increased to include recruiting coordinator duties in 2015 while he continued to work with the linebacker unit.
Walker molded then-redshirt junior Steve Casali into a Phil Steele First Team All-Independent linebacker in 2016, when Casali emerged as the team-leader with 105 tackles and three fumble recoveries.
Casali's emergence highlighted a trend under in linebacker success under Walker's guidance as previously, in 2015, linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox earned second-team All-MAC honors with 131 total tackles. Santos-Knox also led the FBS in assisted tackles with 87.
In 2012 and 2013, Walker was a member of the Vanderbilt staff as defensive quality control coach. In 2013, the Commodores ranked second in interceptions in the Southeastern Conference (18), led the league in interception return yards (277) and tied for fourth in sacks (28).
Walker was a member of the Nichols College (Mass.) coaching staff for four years in a number of capacities, including linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.
No stranger to Amherst, Walker was a four-year letterman for the Minutemen. In addition to being named team captain in 2007, he was a Colonial Athletic Association First-Team selection and a New England Football Writers All-Star.
In his career, Walker appeared in 50 games and started 36, totaling 340 total tackles, eight sacks and 15 TFL. He tied the UMass single-game high for tackles (23), a record he shares with John McKeown. Walker also tallied 10 career games in which he earned 10 or more tackles.
In 2006, he earned Atlantic 10 Second-Team honors and was named honorable mention for the Don Hansen All-Northeast Region Team. That season, he also helped lead the Minutemen to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game under head coach Don Brown.
A native of North Lauderdale, Fla., Walker earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Massachusetts. Simultaneously to fulfilling his coaching responsibilities at Nichols College, Walker attained a Masters in Business Administration from the school in 2012. He is the father of Nyla Ann.
Updated: Feb. 4, 2018
Season at Massachusetts: Fifth
Alma Mater: Massachusetts '08
Charles Walker is in his fifth season with the UMass football staff and begins his first as the special teams coordinator in 2018-19.
Walker served in multiple linebacker-related roles over his four completed seasons with the program, culminating in one of the strongest seasons by a UMass linebacking unit in program history in 2017.
All three starters - Jarell Addo, Bryton Barr and Steve Casali - finished among the top-five Minutemen in total tackles while the trio combined for 21.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. Following the season, Barr and Casali won Phil Steele All-Independent awards, while Barr was also tagged an All-ECAC recipient.
Walker served as the outside linebackers coach for the 2014 season and moved to inside linebackers prior to the 2015 season. Walker's role increased to include recruiting coordinator duties in 2015 while he continued to work with the linebacker unit.
Walker molded then-redshirt junior Steve Casali into a Phil Steele First Team All-Independent linebacker in 2016, when Casali emerged as the team-leader with 105 tackles and three fumble recoveries.
Casali's emergence highlighted a trend under in linebacker success under Walker's guidance as previously, in 2015, linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox earned second-team All-MAC honors with 131 total tackles. Santos-Knox also led the FBS in assisted tackles with 87.
In 2012 and 2013, Walker was a member of the Vanderbilt staff as defensive quality control coach. In 2013, the Commodores ranked second in interceptions in the Southeastern Conference (18), led the league in interception return yards (277) and tied for fourth in sacks (28).
Walker was a member of the Nichols College (Mass.) coaching staff for four years in a number of capacities, including linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.
No stranger to Amherst, Walker was a four-year letterman for the Minutemen. In addition to being named team captain in 2007, he was a Colonial Athletic Association First-Team selection and a New England Football Writers All-Star.
In his career, Walker appeared in 50 games and started 36, totaling 340 total tackles, eight sacks and 15 TFL. He tied the UMass single-game high for tackles (23), a record he shares with John McKeown. Walker also tallied 10 career games in which he earned 10 or more tackles.
In 2006, he earned Atlantic 10 Second-Team honors and was named honorable mention for the Don Hansen All-Northeast Region Team. That season, he also helped lead the Minutemen to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game under head coach Don Brown.
A native of North Lauderdale, Fla., Walker earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Massachusetts. Simultaneously to fulfilling his coaching responsibilities at Nichols College, Walker attained a Masters in Business Administration from the school in 2012. He is the father of Nyla Ann.
Updated: Feb. 4, 2018
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