Tech hires special teams coordinator
Georgia Tech will hire a coach from the Canadian Football League to be its new special teams coordinator. Dave Walkosky will fill the vacancy on the Yellow Jackets’ staff, the Calgary Stampeders announced in a Wednesday news release.
The hire was first reported by Canadian sports network TSN. Tech spokesman Dean Buchan wouldn’t confirm the hire but said the school hopes to make an announcement on the hire by early next week.
The move is an intriguing one by coach Paul Johnson. The coach has not had a titled special teams coordinator since arriving at Tech in 2008 and has gone to great lengths to defend and explain his rationale for not having one in the face of sub-par special-teams play.
“Our special teams were not very good again,” Johnson said Tuesday. “We may make a change there, we may look at doing it differently. I don’t necessarily think it’s scheme, but maybe it’s the way we’re approaching it or whatever. So we’ll take a look at that.”
There is also the matter that Walkosky, 42, doesn’t have the typical résumé of an ACC coach. Prior to coaching linebackers for the Stampeders last season, he was the head coach at Division II Tiffin University in Ohio for three seasons. He did coach at Washington State and Toledo previously. It might be said Johnson doesn’t always hew to convention.
While at Toledo, seven of his special-teams units were ranked in the top 15 nationally. The Rockets blocked 24 kicks in his eight seasons at Toledo.
“He’s an outstanding football coach, has a lot of energy, excellent recruiter and just a tremendous colleague,” said former Toledo coach Tom Amstutz. “I worked with him for quite a few years. Very loyal, very hard worker, will have a great relationship with the players and he’ll get the best out of his players.”
Amstutz said Walkosky had an aggressive style, which led to the blocks. He called him fiery and passionate. He remembered him spending time in the offseason studying with NFL special-teams coaches to stay current on new trends in the game.
“He’ll have high expectations for his players and his players will love to make plays for him because he’s so fired up,” he said.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
108 comments Add your comment
crackbaby
February 29th, 2012
5:10 pm
Ken – thanks for this story. Reason for excitement and hope.
“Amstutz said Walkosky had an aggressive style, which led to the blocks. He called him fiery and passionate. He remembered him spending time in the offseason studying with NFL special-teams coaches to stay current on new trends in the game.”
All for AGGRESSION on special teams. Like it that he is a former LB coach. Also, the MAC conference plays good football with less than top tier talent. Guys like Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Turner are out of the MAC. MAC coaches earn their stripes. 24 blocked kicks in 8 seasons at Toledo. OoooRah!
Boot Licking Toadie
February 29th, 2012
5:19 pm
What’s the word on the appeal? If they reject it then the NCAA has set a standard for pending and future rulings.
BigTimeTechFan
February 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Nick Saben, Mark Richt, Mac Brown, Bob Stoops, Les Miles have all tried to hire Walkosky in the past couple of years but he said no, was waiting on better job.
BigTimeTechFan
February 29th, 2012
5:23 pm
Figured I would make up comments like other fans of schools around here do.
deuce coupe
February 29th, 2012
5:27 pm
The new special teams coordinator comes from a winning program.
The Calgary Stampeders were 13-5
in the Canadian Football League last season.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
5:31 pm
Looking forward to Sept. 3!
Daily Stinger
February 29th, 2012
5:34 pm
2012 ST rankings: I didn’t see kick return coverage but we were 79th in net punt return coverage and 112th in our kickoff return avg. & 60th in punt return avg…
There’s no doubt this is a great move (it does help some that Va Tech wanted him). Our defense doesn’t need any help letting opposing offenses move down field. The ST position should have been handled after the disaster that cost Tech the Air Force bowl game
Woot Woot
February 29th, 2012
5:43 pm
bout freakin time……..guess u can teach an old dog new tricks. I’ll say this for CPJ, he can be embarrassed enff to make a change.
GT Dude
February 29th, 2012
5:53 pm
Just catching the punt would make me happy
Everything else will be a bonus
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
6:04 pm
GT Dude, since the disaster against AF, we haven’t had any problem catching punts…..just returning them for any yardage
DawginSewer
February 29th, 2012
6:20 pm
OUrses specilas educatens coasches gests us isn walmersts affers wes graduatess.
George Stein
February 29th, 2012
6:34 pm
I would disagree, Supersize. Go back to the Miami game, where we muffed the punt inside the 5. I still have no idea why Laskey tried to field that one.
o'keefe
February 29th, 2012
6:43 pm
Good hire. Ken—any further word on the situation with the NCAA appeal? THX
Jacket Up
February 29th, 2012
6:46 pm
Knowing nothing about Walkosky or the teams he has coached at, I won`t comment on him at all. But I want to comment on the fact that Paul Johnson is hiring a special teams coach.
The first advantage in that move is relieving other coaches of a “chore” they probably had relegated to “less important” (than their respective position coaching).
Simultaneously we have an experienced ST Coach who will have only special teams on his mind. He can spend all of his energies making each facet of the STs “the best in the country”. He can make ST members be proud to be ST members. And he can go to high school games with one thought, “Can this kid kick in the BCS?”
How many times has Frank Beamer`s STs won games for him? And at the other end of the spectrum have Paul Johnson`s STs LOST a game? This hire will double its apparent worth by not only ELIMINATING A NEGATIVE but ADDING A POSITIVE.
Jacket Up
February 29th, 2012
6:48 pm
Enter your comments here
George Stein
February 29th, 2012
7:10 pm
I think that’s the proper analysis, Jacket Up.
GT Grad
February 29th, 2012
7:14 pm
FL Jacket, the spread offense Oregon uses is nearly identical to the ones used by Auburn with $cam Newton and in Florida under Urban Meyer. It is true that they have the option built in to that offensive system, but its not used on every single snap. If you want to keep your opponents honest, bring in talented recruits, as well as compete at higher levels, you need to be more dual threat in the offense.
Just saying.
Tokyo jacket
February 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
Ken, thanks for the response. I’d argue that is exactly what Tech needs then. Someone who is going to make field position a positive for Georgia Tech and a bad word for opponents. Add to that that our incoming punter freshman puts the ball in the air for four seconds, has good directional ability, and kicks it about 55 yards in the air and our special teams may have just made a big jump.
Just in time for spring practice. Perfect!
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
7:20 pm
George, I didn’t remember that in the Miami game, but did it happen any other times during the season?
Tokyo jacket
February 29th, 2012
7:22 pm
Jacket up, very good thoughts dude. W/out special teams for the past 10 years, all those 10-win seasons in Blacksburg are more like 8- or 9-win seasons. I can think of at least three losses in the past three years caused by special teams lapses. Not shortages in talent, not getting beat, not just the way the ball bounces, but 18 year olds doing stupid stuff that I hope a good ST coach would train out of them.
That said, I still say the fake field goal pass against Clemson was pure genius!
And, Clemson...
February 29th, 2012
7:44 pm
…paid us back with basically the same play later in the game, and Spiller returned a kickoff for a TD, too, in the same game, just as our guy did the same thing to them on punt return, also in the same game – good thing we won that game!!!
George Stein
February 29th, 2012
7:47 pm
Not that I recall, Supersize.
George Stein
February 29th, 2012
7:47 pm
But that’s because we had my man Jemea Thomas returning punts after that.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
7:58 pm
Jemea Thomas is a playmaker. So is Attaochu. Will be interested in seeing what Holton does this year. I imagine he’ll put the hurt on someone.
230gr Full Metal Jacket
February 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
Damn filters!!! It is almost pointless to try and post here because posts “disappear” for no obvious reason. Oh well, back to work.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
Testing. Hot hashbrowns, scattered, smothered, and covered. Diced, chopped, Waffle House is delicious.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
8:01 pm
Don’t understand why others are having trouble with filters. What word do you think is hanging you up? Sometimes it is the day known as the day after today.
gt4ever=WnE
February 29th, 2012
8:02 pm
go creep up another blog dude. yur a creep of the penn state kind.
you would fit right in with the dawg nation.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
….or the day known as the day before today.
i hear that coach richt
February 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
hugs his recruits so hard that they actually poop hash browns.
far as our player from australia goes
February 29th, 2012
8:07 pm
last time i looked he didnt play for the aussie team that crushed a team of usa football all stars. he would have started but he had immigration issues
i have heard he has a mean streak. i see more aussie fb/rugby players in our future,.way to go coach. nice find.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
8:08 pm
Ewww. Seriously. That is so gross.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
8:35 pm
I thought the Aussie was already in the country before the game was played? He came to Atlanta, didn’t he?
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
8:36 pm
gt4ever IS NOT WnE
Bill
February 29th, 2012
8:38 pm
Welcome Coach Walkosky to the flats. Thanks Coach PJ for the hire, now get’er done!
GT GRAD
February 29th, 2012
8:46 pm
Hey wait a minute……I have been using the GT GRAD handle for over 8 years now! First time in 8 years that I have seen someone try to copy my name/handle………..I suppose the ALL CAPS will differentiate me from the new GT Grad dude.
I like the triple option offense; just give it a little more time. Coach PJ has players he has recruited for this offense. He wants to play with mostly redshirted players (i.e. significant number of 4th year juniors and 5th year seniors). Give the man a QB with ALL of the required skills (elusive, good top end speed, smart, quick decision maker AND the ability to make defenses pay by actually hitting the open receivers on the deep passes) and he will make everyone take notice! I truly think we have two potential candidates in Vad Lee and the QB who committed to Alabama and signed with GT!!!!
I like the idea of a full time special teams coach. Better defense is also critical.
It is all on the verge of coming together!!!!
Recruits
February 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
Agree with GT GRAD— we also need a big Defensive Tackle–nose guard
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
9:00 pm
@ GT GRAD, welcome to the club…..I have a “poser” too who posts garbage using my name
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
9:01 pm
Handle hijacking is epidemic at times, GT GRAD.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
9:04 pm
The AJC has the means to stop handle hijacking, but they won’t do it.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
9:07 pm
Agree with GT GRAD and Recruits. Need a dual threat quarterback and a big nasty nose guard.
Do What?
February 29th, 2012
9:23 pm
You GT guys need not worry about the appeal, you might need to worry about additional sanctions. After all, you had a coach who knowingly and willingly violated NCAA recruiting rules. That should not be swept under the rug simply because he was fired. Fact remains, he had numerous rules infractions. NCAA probation and GT, it’s becoming quite a combination for such a self proclaimed “high brow” institution.
HighTech
February 29th, 2012
9:26 pm
Why am I suddenly hungry for hashbrowns?
Luke
February 29th, 2012
9:38 pm
@Do What? – We also reported the sanctions (secondary by the way) and fired the coach. Come off it. Theres not gonna be additional sanctions.
Hashbrowns in My Pants
February 29th, 2012
9:46 pm
Hopefully this is also pointing to the fact that CPJ is planning in spending more time mentoring future starting QBs.
Can the Biomed dept figure out how to put the arm of Hamilton on the body of Nesbitt?
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
9:59 pm
Do What?……that coach was fired almost immediately. That should be a non-issue now.
Supersize that order, mutt
February 29th, 2012
10:02 pm
Should I change my handle to Give me Hashbrowns with that order, mutt?
NAHHH !!!! They might take them out of their pants to give them to me
Kingsport Jacket
February 29th, 2012
10:29 pm
GT GRAD,
Agree with your comments. A QB with all of the required skills makes the option lethal. With our lackluster passing game we have only scratched the surface.
My town’s local HS (Dobyns-Bennett – winningest program in TN and also Dodd’s HS way back) runs CPJ’s offense; HC Graham Clark and CPJ are close friends. The past two years D-B has had an athletic QB (not a stud or future college player) who could throw, receivers who could catch, and an offense that averaged probably 45 points a game. Granted, it is HS ball and not college. But watching it has convinced me that a more balanced attack from the QB would be huge for GT. Great hire on the ST coach.
gotta love the dawgs
February 29th, 2012
10:47 pm
kinda like politicians supplying comedians with jokes.
rumor has it that they are going to give uga 3 points towards the fulmer cup for the uga girl who stuffed hash browns in her pants.
what i wanna know is …. did it help her accent her bootie or did she go for the missed bathroom call look? lumps in her depends……
this could catch on in athens during game day when they uga masses look to poop and pee in the library.
hashbrown dawg...
February 29th, 2012
10:48 pm
come on guys lighten up a bit. no trans fats in those hash browns.