Walt Wells

Last updated

Walt Wells
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Eastern Kentucky
Conference UAC
Record26–25
Biographical details
Born (1967-10-26) October 26, 1967 (age 57)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma mater Belmont University
Playing career
1986–1989 Austin Peay
Position(s) Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1994–1996 Cumberland (TN) (AHC/OC)
1997–1999 Eastern Kentucky (TE)
2000–2002Eastern Kentucky (OL)
2003–2012 Western Kentucky (OC/OL)
2013 South Florida (OC/OL)
2014 New Mexico State (OL)
2015Eastern Kentucky (AHC/OL)
2016 Tennessee (OQC)
2017Tennessee (OL)
2018–2019 Kentucky (QC)
2020–presentEastern Kentucky
Head coaching record
Overall26–25
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 ASUN (2022)
Awards
ASUN Coach of the Year (2021–2022)
AFCA FCS Region Number 3 Coach of the Year (2021)

Walt Wells (born October 26, 1967) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at Eastern Kentucky University, a position he has held since 2019. [1]

Contents

Career

Wells has over 20 years of coaching experience as an offensive line coach and coordinator with previous stops at Eastern Kentucky (1997–2002, 2015), New Mexico State (2014), South Florida (2013) and Western Kentucky (2003–2012). He also coached at Cumberland University from 1994 to 1996 and Smryna High School from 1992 to 1993. [2]

On February 7, 2017, Walt Wells was promoted to offensive line coach at the University of Tennessee. He joined the Vols in the spring of 2016 as an offensive quality control coach, working primarily with the offensive line. [2]

On December 9, 2019, Wells was hired as the 15th head football coach at Eastern Kentucky University. [1]

Personal life

Wells earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Belmont University in 1993 after transferring from Austin Peay State University, where he played football. He also obtained a master's degree in human relations management from Cumberland University in 1995. Wells and his wife, Jennifer, have two children: Madison and K. J. [3]

On August 28, 2022, Walt Wells was hospitalized because he suffered a cardiac episode while at work. [4] On August 29, 2022, Chief of Staff Garry McPeek had to be named acting head coach. [5] On August 31, 2022, Wells was released from UK Hospital. [6]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (ASUN Conference)(2020–2022)
2020–21 Eastern Kentucky 3–60–0 [n 1]
2021 Eastern Kentucky 7–44–2 [n 2] T–2nd
2022 Eastern Kentucky 7–53–2T–2nd [n 3] L NCAA Division I First Round
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (United Athletic Conference)(2023–present)
2023 Eastern Kentucky 5–64–2T–2nd
2024 Eastern Kentucky 4–42–2
Eastern Kentucky:26–2513–8
Total:26–25
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

[7]

Notes

  1. Eastern Kentucky played only in the fall of 2020 and opted out of the conference season, which was played in spring of 2021.
  2. Conference record for the ASUN-WAC AQ7 Challenge
  3. Jacksonville State finished first in the conference standings, but was ineligible for the ASUN title due to transition to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

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References

  1. 1 2 "Walt Wells". EKU Sports. Eastern Kentucky University. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Walt Wells". UT Sports. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  3. "Walt Wells Named Eastern Kentucky Head Football Coach". OVC Sports. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  4. "Statement On EKU Head Football Coach Walt Wells' Medical Episode". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  5. "Garry McPeek Named EKU's Acting Head Football Coach". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  6. "Update On EKU Head Coach Walt Wells". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  7. "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Walt Wells". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved October 1, 2024.