EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Northwestern University football coach Randy Walker died of an apparent heart attack Thursday night. He was 52.
Walker died after feeling chest pains around 10 p.m. at his suburban Chicago home, said Mike Wolf, the school's assistant athletic director for media services.
# FIUTAK: Remembering Walker
"He will go down as a person who added a great deal to football," Northwestern president Henry Bienen said at a news conference Friday.
Walker was the first Northwestern coach to lead the school to three bowl games. The Wildcats lost to UCLA 50-38 in the Sun Bowl last December.
"He was a tough, demanding coach," athletic director Mark Murphy said.
In October 2004, Walker checked himself into a hospital after experiencing chest pains. He was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle; the condition is not a common ailment, and is usually caused by a virus.
Walker was out of the hospital in two days, and said he was taking a new approach to his diet and work schedule.
"I've really taken my doctor's orders to heart, because frankly, I want to see my grandkids someday," he said at the time.
Two months ago, Northwestern gave Walker a four-year extension through the 2011 season. He joined the school in 1999 after nine years at Miami of Ohio.
Walker's Wildcats posted 37 wins, going 7-5 last season. He led the team to three bowl games since 2000.
Northwestern shared the Big Ten title in 2000 and went to the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats also went to the 2003 Motor City Bowl.
Randy Walker was the first Northwestern coach to lead the school to three bowl games. (Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press)
Walker was the first Wildcats coach to guide the team to four seasons with at least six wins since C.M. Hollister in 1899-1902.
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Walker will be sorely missed.
"Not only was Randy a great friend to the conference, but to his players, his staff and fans," Delany said in a statement. "Randy accomplished a great deal at every institution he worked for, but most importantly he personified the values of intercollegiate athletics - he was positive, resilient and honest."
Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner, who worked with Walker at Miami of Ohio, said Walker's death left him in "absolute shock."
"I lost a friend and someone I learned a lot from in our time together at Miami," Hoeppner said. "He is a great man, a great family man and a great person. Words cannot express how much I will miss him."
Walker is survived by his wife, Tamara, and two children, Abbey, 28, and Jamie, 25, who is the school's football recruiting assistant.
One of the most difficult times during Walker's tenure at Northwestern came in August 2001 when defensive back Rashidi Wheeler collapsed after participating in a conditioning drill and died. His parents sued the school, claiming officials did not give their son, an asthmatic, timely or adequate medical treatment.
After years of court wrangling, the player's family was awarded a $16 million settlement. A judge approved the settlement last August.
Walker was an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1978 to 1987 and then coached running backs at Northwestern in 1988 and 1989 before becoming head coach at Miami of Ohio, his alma mater. In nine seasons he compiled a 59-35-5 record, his .621 winning percentage the best in school history when he left.
Walker's 1998 team at Miami went 10-1.
A native of Troy, Ohio, Walker was a fullback at Miami of Ohio and graduated from there in 1976 with a degree in social studies education. Five years later he got a master's degree in education administration.
During Walker's playing days, Miami compiled records of 11-0, 10-0-1 and 11-1 in the mid-1970s and won three Tangerine Bowls. Walker was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1992.
Walker was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, and after a short stint returned to Miami as a graduate assistant.
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