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DeWayne Walker Becomes Seventh Black Head Coach in Division I Football

New Mexico State has hired UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker to run its football program, making him the seventh black head coach in college football's top division. Walker's hiring was a few years in the making. The journeyman coordinator arrived nationally after stopping the USC offense cold in a 13-9 UCLA victory that prevented a certain USC appearance in the 2006 BCS Championship Game.

His impact was immediate, flipping one of the nation's worst defenses into a fast and aggressive unit that played tough and could stop the run. Subsequent seasons weren't as successful, but he added chops as a recruiter, bringing in a handful of players who will likely have NFL futures like defensive tackle Brian Price and cornerback Alterraun Verner.

Walker took his time, visiting Las Cruces for a while before accepting the Aggies' offer. His departure was expected, however, and his name has popped up as a central player in this week's man drama kerfuffle between USC and UCLA.

Mike Haywood Becomes Sixth Black Head Coach In Division I College Football

Miami of Ohio -- not to be confused with Miami Florida, which also has a black head coach in Randy Shannon -- has hired Notre Dame "offensive coordinator" Mike Haywood to run its program. He succeeds Shane Montgomery, who stepped down after a 2-10 season.

Color us a little confused if encouraged by this hire. Just today we wrote about Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis' continued decision to call plays for his offense instead of his, you know, offensive coordinator, who just so happened to be Haywood. It's very likely that speaks to Weis' own massive control demands, but it may also speak to Haywood's abilities. Regardless it's nice to see another black head coach among the ranks.

For a while, the prospects for minority head coaches in D-I-please-don't-call-it-the-Football-Bowl-Subdivision looked grim, as their numbers shrank when Washington canned Tyrone Willingham, Kansas State parted ways with Ron Prince, and Sylvester Croom stepped down at Mississippi State.

What has happened since has been a needed surge of black /minority coaching hires.

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