WILDCATS REBORN: DeWayne Walker’s journey from trash man to football coach

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - “They see the house you live in, but they don’t know where you come from,” said DeWayne Walker the University of Arizona defensive back’s coach.

Walker was born in Pasadena, Calif.

Like most coaches, he played college football and professionally in Canada. But after that stint, he made an unexpected stop.

“I was a trash man,” Walker said.

Yes.

Walker, who has coached for the likes of the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants and at USC and Cal, was a trash man for the city of Los Angeles.

“At that point, I was really trying to find myself,” Walker said.

He was 25 years old at the time and trying to find his passion after his playing days were behind him.

“My dad worked for the city of L.A. for years, he said ‘hey, look you’re not going to sit around the house and dream about coaching, you have to do something,’” Walker said.

He said to this day, it’s the dirtiest job he’s ever had. And while he may not look back on those days fondly, he said the job taught him a lesson he may not have learned otherwise.

“Humility,” Walker said. “I’m no better than anyone else.”

Since, Walker has had a successful career in coaching.

He was one of Pete Carroll’s first hires at Southern Cal and then went on to spend eight years coaching in the NFL before arriving at the University of Arizona.

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