Scotty Walden (born November 15, 1989) is an American

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

coach. He is the head football coach for the

University of Texas at El Paso The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a public university, public research university in El Paso, Texas, United States. Founded in 1913 as the State School of Mines and Metallurgy, it is the third oldest academic component of the Univers ...

, a position he has held since 2024. Walden had previously served as the head coach at

East Texas Baptist University East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) is a private Baptist university in Marshall, Texas, United States. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. History ETBU is located on the site of the former Van Zandt Farm at the highes ...

Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University (APSU) () is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, United States. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 ...

, and interim head coach at the

University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bac ...

Playing career

Walden graduated from Cleburne High School in

Cleburne, Texas Cleburne ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Johnson County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 31,352. The city is named in honor of Patrick Cleburne, a Confederate general. Lake Pat Cleburne, the reservoir that ...

. Following high school he attended three different colleges: Dordt College in

Sioux Center, Iowa Sioux Center is a city in Sioux County, Iowa. The population was 8,229 at the time of the 2020 census. Sioux Center is notable for its Dutch heritage, agribusiness, and as the location of Dordt University. Geography Sioux Center is located at ...

(2008–2009),

Hardin–Simmons University Hardin–Simmons University (HSU) is a private Baptist university in Abilene, Texas, United States. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. History Hardin–Simmons University was founded as Abilene Baptist College in 189 ...

Abilene, Texas Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor County, Texas, Taylor and Jones County, Texas, Jones counties, Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan ar ...

(2009–2011), and finally

Sul Ross State University Sul Ross State University (SRSU) is a public university in Alpine, Texas, United States. The main campus is the primary institution of higher education serving the nineteen-county Big Bend, Texas, Big Bend region of far West Texas. Branch campuse ...

Alpine, Texas Alpine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,035 at the 2020 census. The town has an elevation of , and the surrounding mountain peaks are over above sea level. A university, hospi ...

(2011–2012). He played football at all three institutions, and started as

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

in 2008 and 2011.

Coaching career

Walden's coaching career began in the spring of 2012, while he was still an undergraduate at Sul Ross. He worked as an offensive assistant under offensive coordinator John Tyree; when Tyree stepped down at the end of the academic year head coach Wayne Schroeder named Walden to replace him. Sul Ross's offense flourished in 2012, and at the end of the season

Joshua Eargle Joshua King Eargle (born January 6, 1979) is an American football coach and former player. He is the Deputy Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach at Florida International University (FIU). Eargle served as the head football coach at East Texas Ba ...

, the new head coach at conference rival

, hired Walden away to become offensive coordinator on his staff. Eargle resigned from the East Texas Baptist job in January 2016, and the university promoted Walden, then 26, to replace him. At the time of his hiring, the NCAA believed Walden to be the youngest college head football coach in the United States. After one year at East Texas Baptist, during which the team compiled a 7–3 record, Walden departed in 2017 to become the wide receivers coach at the University of Southern Mississippi under head coach

Jay Hopson James Walter Hopson (born October 13, 1968) is an American college football coach and former player. He was most recently the cornerbacks coach for the University of South Alabama from 2023 to 2024. He has been a head coach at Southern Miss and ...

, replacing John Wozniak. Walden gained the title of co-offensive coordinator in 2019. Southern Miss named Walden interim head coach on September 7, 2020, after Hopson stepped down. On October 27, 2020, Walden was named the new head coach for Austin Peay. Walden took over coaching duties after non-conference play in 2020–21 and led Austin Peay to a 4–2 record in the conference while the team finished 4–5 overall. Walden was hired as UTEP Miners head coach on December 4, 2023.

Head coaching record

References

External links

UTEP profile

Austin Peay profile

Southern Miss profile

East Texas Baptist profile

Sul Ross State profile

Hardin–Simmons profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walden, Scotty 1989 births Living people American football quarterbacks Austin Peay Governors football coaches Dordt Defenders football players East Texas Baptist Tigers football coaches Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football players Southern Miss Golden Eagles football coaches Sul Ross Lobos football coaches Sul Ross Lobos football players UTEP Miners football coaches Sportspeople from Cleburne, Texas Coaches of American football from Texas Players of American football from Texas