UTEP Miners

Scotty Walden, native Texan and one of the most dynamic young head coaches in the country, was named UTEP Football’s 27^th head coach on Dec. 4, 2023.

The Miners won two of the last three games to conclude Walden’s first season at the helm in 2024. Walden chalked up his first victory with the Orange and Blue on Oct. 16 when the Miners defeated FIU, 30-21, in the Sun Bowl. UTEP also defeated Kennesaw State, 43-35, in double overtime, while the Miners concluded the 2024 season with a come-from-behind victory at NM State, 42-35, in the 101^st Battle of I-10 on Nov. 30.
 
In its three victories, UTEP’s “Blue Blaze” offense averaged 38+ points per game and over 374 yards of total offense. Offensively, multiple players, who transferred from Austin Peay (Walden’s previous school), were team leaders in specific statistical categories. Jevon Jackson gained a team-high 754 yards on the ground with six total touchdowns (four rush, two rec.). Jackson ranked sixth in CUSA in rushing yards. Kam Thomas, who was a 2024 All-CUSA first team special teams player, was the team leader in punt returns on wefense. He ranked second in CUSA with 200 yards on 10 returns (20.0 avg.), including a long return of 93 yards for a TD at NM State. Thomas was one of two players in CUSA to return a punt for a score. Thomas also grabbed 47 receptions - tied for the team lead with Trey Goodman. Goodman tallied 469 yards receiving. Goodman set career highs in receptions (12) and receiving yards (150) during the Miners’ win against Kennesaw State. Goodman caught all 12 balls that were thrown his way. Kenny Odom, a 2024 All-CUSA second team selection, led the way with 741 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Odom ranked second in CUSA in receiving scores (eight) and sixth in yards per reception (16.1 avg.). Odom’s eight touchdown receptions were the most by a Miner since 2016. Odom recorded a season-best 128 yards on seven receptions with a pair of touchdowns at Colorado State. Odom racked up a career-best three touchdown receptions against Kennesaw State. He tallied 108 yards on eight catches against the Owls.
 
Skyler Locklear also followed Walden from APU. Locklear threw for 1,583 yards on 148-of-233 passing and 10 touchdowns in 10 games. He completed 63.5 percent of his passes, ranking fourth on the program’s top 10 single-season list. Locklear added 237 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while also tallying 32 yards on three catches and a score. Locklear pulled a trifecta when he became the first FBS player since 2015 to throw a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and record a receiving touchdown in a single game. The feat was achieved against SUU when Locklear threw a five-year touchdown pass early in the first quarter and followed with a five-yard rushing score at the end of the first. Locklear then hauled in a four-year touchdown pass from Jaden Smith that tied the ball game at 24 apiece with no time left on the clock. Locklear ended the game, throwing for 295 yards on 22-of-29 passing (75.9 percent). Locklear put up career numbers during UTEP’s win over KSU, throwing for a career-high 327 yards on a career-best 28 completions (33 attempts) with a career-most four touchdown passes. It was the most touchdown passes by a UTEP quarterback since 2014, while Locklear’s 84.8 completion percentage was the third-best in program history. 
 
On defense, the “Orange Swarm” racked up CUSA-highs in sacks (36) and tackles for loss (87). The Miners ranked tied for 20^th in FBS in total sacks and tied for 11^th in sacks per game (3.0). UTEP’s 7.3 TFLs per game ranked first in CUSA and 13^th in FBS. The defense scored three touchdowns, ranking tied for 12^th in FBS and first in CUSA. Kory Chapman returned a fumble for the score against Sam Houston, while Bryon Thompson scored a pair of touchdowns on fumble recoveries at NM State. Another defensive highlight in 2024 was the defense intercepting four passes in the victory over FIU. It was the most since picking off four passes at Tulane in 2011, and the most INTs by the defense in the Sun Bowl since 2008 (vs. SMU). The Miners’ 11 interceptions were the most since the 2014 season. Maurice Westmoreland, an All-CUSA first team player, led the team and CUSA with 8.0 sacks. Kyran Duhon, who was named All-CUSA second team and the All-Freshman team, ranked second on the team and CUSA with 7.0 sacks. Duhon’s sack total was the most by a UTEP freshman since 1990. KD Johnson picked up 3.5 sacks (third most on the team) from the interior defensive line. Linebacker Dorian Hopkins paced the defense with 87 tackles. Chapman, Hopkins, Amier Boyd-Matthews and Lantz Russell each intercepted two passes. 
 
In the classroom, the UTEP football program set a school record with its 3.2 GPA following Walden’s first year at the helm. Locklear and Johnson were named to the 2024 CUSA All-Academic Team on Nov. 22. Johnson, a senior defensive tackle, posted a 3.60 GPA in nursing, while Locklear worked towards a 3.83 GPA in business. Overall, 60 football players were named to the 2024-25 CUSA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher), while 16 of them were also named 2024-25 CUSA Commissioner’s Academic Medalists (3.75 GPA or higher). 

Walden joined the Miners after four seasons as the head coach at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. In 2023, he led the Governors to a 9-3 record, a perfect 6-0 mark in the United Athletic Conference, and a no. 13 FCS national ranking. It marked the first undefeated conference season in school history. He was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented by FedEx Ground and Stats Perform to the FCS National Coach of the Year.  Austin Peay has won four conference titles since 1977 – with two coming under Walden’s watch. He is the only coach to lead Austin Peay to two conference championships.

The Cleburne, Texas, native led the Governors to a 26-14 mark with four winning seasons (4-2 in COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, 6-5 in 2021, 7-4 in 2022, 9-3 in 2023). The Governors hadn’t enjoyed back-to-back winning campaigns since 1983-84 prior to Walden’s arrival. His career head coaching record is 34-20, including 7-3 in one season heading up the program at East Texas Baptist University in 2016. Walden was also interim head coach at Southern Miss for four games in 2020.

The 2023 Austin Peay squad ranked fourth nationally in passing efficiency (162.17), ninth in scoring offense (34.1 ppg), 11^th in passing completion percentage (.667), 13^th in passing offense (274.1 ypg) and 15^th in total offense (426.8 ypg). The Governors set school records for scoring offense, total offense and passing offense. Austin Peay also rated seventh in the country in third down conversion defense with a stingy .303 percentage, and the Governors’ three defensive touchdowns ranked 12^th nationally. Austin Peay’s special teams unit was equally stellar, leading the country in punt returns with a 21.3-yard average.

Austin Peay rattled off a school-record nine consecutive wins after opening the season 0-2, including a 30-13 setback at then-ninth ranked Tennessee on Sept. 9. Playing before over 100,000 hostile fans, the Governors were tied with the Vols, 6-6, shortly before halftime and trailed by 10 points (23-13) midway through the fourth quarter.

In 2022, Walden led the Governors to the third conference title in program history. Austin Peay was the top defense in the ASUN Conference, ranking fourth in the FCS in third down conversion percentage defense (.308), 12^th in total defense (317.2 ypg), 19^th in passing defense (188.7 ypg) and 20^th in rushing defense (128.5 ypg). Offensively, Austin Peay averaged 202.3 rushing yards and 243.3 passing yards per game, marking the first time in program history that the Governors averaged 200-plus rushing and passing yards per game in the same season.

In 2021, the Governors tied a school record with seven First Team All-OVC selections and 14 total All-OVC picks.

While at Austin Peay, Walden has coached four consensus All-America honorees – Kordell Jackson (2020), DeAngelo Wilson (2020), Johnathon Edwards (2021) and Koby Perry (2021). Bucky Williams was an American Football Coaches Association Second Team All-American and a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American in 2020. Draylen Ellis and Terrell Allen received Sophomore All-America honors in 2021. Drae McCray was also tabbed a HERO Sports All-America in 2021.

Walden has also coached 28 All-Conference players and four league All-Newcomer selections during his time at Austin Peay.

His teams have also excelled academically.  In five of six semesters since Walden’s arrival, the Governors posted a 3.0 cumulative team grade point average, including a program record 3.28 GPA during the spring 2022 semester. The Governors also claimed the 2020-21 and 2021-22 OVC Team Academic Achievement Awards.

After joining the Southern Miss staff as wide receivers coach in 2017, he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator for the 2019 season. In 2019, the American Football Coaches Association tabbed Walden as a Top 35 coach under 35 years of age. He coached first team All-Conference USA selection wideout Quez Watkins, who led the league with 64 catches and 1,178 receiving yards (17^th in the FBS). Watkins’ 107.1 receiving yards per game also ranked sixth in the FBS. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by Philadelphia, and has appeared in 45 games for the Eagles with 23 starts since then.

Walden took over for Jay Hopson as interim head coach at Southern Miss in September of 2020, and was hired by Austin Peay as head coach shortly thereafter.

Walden was the youngest head coach in the NCAA (26 years old) at the time of his hiring at East Texas Baptist. He directed the Tigers to a national ranking in a school-record nine consecutive weeks, climbing as high as no. 15. East Texas Baptist also generated the no. 1 scoring offense (49.9 points per game) for all levels of the NCAA and the no. 2 total offense in Division III (school-record 564.3 yards per game).

Walden was offensive coordinator at East Texas Baptist for three years (2013-15) prior to being elevated to head coach. In his time as an assistant, ETBU football players broke a combined 26 individual and team records. One of his protégés was wide receiver Jamaine Sherman, a first team All-Conference honoree who became the first player in school history to sign an NFL contract with the St. Louis Rams in 2014.

He got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Sul Ross State, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2012 season. His team broke 16 offensive school records in 2012, including most yards in a game (800) and points in a game (75). The Lobos ranked no. 1 in Division III in total offense (581.9 ypg), no. 2 in first downs (271), no. 3 in scoring offense (48.8 ppg), no. 9 in passing efficiency (164.30), no. 11 in passing offense (333 ypg) and no. 19 in rushing offense (248.9 ypg). Walden coached six All-Conference players, two D3football.com All-Americans and one Beyond Sports Network All-American.

He began his college playing days at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa (2008), where he was named the starting quarterback as a freshman. His career continued at Hardin-Simmons University (2009-10), where he doubled as a quarterback and defensive back, before concluding at Sul Ross State as a quarterback and team captain in 2011.

He earned his Bachelor of History, graduating Magna Cum Laude, from Sul Ross State in 2012. He added a Master of Education, graduating Summa Cum Laude, from Sul Ross State in 2014.

Walden and his wife, Callie have two sons, Luca and Maverick.