Ryan Walters Named New UW Defensive Coordinator

Ryan Walters, who has built a reputation as one of the nation’s top collegiate defensive coaches, has joined the Washington football coaching staff as defensive coordinator, head coach Jedd Fisch announced today, Jan. 3, 2025.
 
Walters, who served as head coach at Purdue the last two seasons, comes to Seattle with a long, outstanding résumé as a defensive coach in the Big Ten Conference and the SEC, with highly successful stints at Illinois and Missouri.
 
“Today, Washington Football added a tremendous defensive coach and person to our program,” Coach Fisch said. “Hiring Ryan Walters allows us to continue to build on the foundation of the 2024 defense while continuing to grow and improve. His experience in the Big Ten Conference was vital in this hire, along with having deep family ties in the Seattle area. Amber and I are excited to welcome Ryan, Tara and their two boys into our Husky Family.”
 
Prior to taking over at Purdue for the 2023 season, Walters was the defensive coordinator at Illinois for two seasons (2021-22). Before his arrival, in 2020, the Illini ranked No. 97 in FBS in scoring defense and No. 114 in total defense. In his first year, those rankings improved to No. 29 and 49, respectively, and in 2022, he coached the Illinois defensive to the national No. 1 ranking in scoring (12.3 points per game) and No. 2 in total defense (263.8 yards per game).
 
Six Illini defenders earned All-Big Ten recognition in 2021, including safety Kerby Joseph, the program’s first first-team defensive back since 1989. In 2022, Devon Witherspoon and Sydney Brown both earned first-team All-Big Ten. Witherspoon was Illinois’ first-ever Jim Thorpe Award finalist and a consensus All-America. He was the Seattle Seahawks’ first-round draft pick with the fifth overall selection and made both the All-Rookie Team and Pro Bowl in 2023.
 
At Missouri, Walter’s 2019 defense ranked in the top 20 in the nation in several categories, including total defense (14th in FBS; 3rd in SEC – 312.0) and scoring defense (17th in FBS; 6th in SEC – 19.4), while excelling as a Top 10 pass defense (8th in passing yards allowed FBS; 2nd in SEC – 179.3).
 
Walters played college football at Colorado, where his father had played quarterback before him. Originally a quarterback at CU, he moved to safety, where he was a three-year starter (2007-09), serving as captain and earning team MVP as a senior in 2008. He graduated with bachelor’s degrees in history and ethnic studies in 2008.
 
Following his playing career, Walters spent the 2009 season as a student assistant at Colorado. The following year, he took a graduate assistant position at Arizona, and in 2011, he moved into a full-time role, coaching defensive backs in Tucson. In 2012, he coached defensive backs as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma.
 
Walters coached cornerbacks at North Texas in 2013 and Memphis in 2014 before taking a position coaching safeties at Missouri for the 2015 season, joining head coach Gary Pinkel’s staff.
 
After Pinkel, a former UW offensive coordinator, retired following the 2015 season, new head coach Barry Odom promoted Walters to co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Ahead of the 2018 season, Walters was named defensive coordinator at Mizzou, a role he’d hold for three seasons, including in 2020, when Eli Drinkwitz became the Tigers’ head coach.
 
In January of 2021, Walters was hired by Bret Bielema to serve as defensive coordinator at Illinois. Following the Illini’s outstanding defensive performance in 2022, he was a finalist for the Broyles Award, as the nation’s top assistant coach.
 
Walters’ success with the Illinois defense attracted attention from fellow Big Ten program Purdue, which named him its new head coach on Dec. 13, 2022. He led the Boilermakers’ program for two seasons.
 
Walters and his wife, Tara, have two sons, Aaron and Cason.
 
Walters’ Coaching Résumé
 
Washington
2025-present: Defensive Coordinator
 
Purdue
2023-24:  Head Coach
 
Illinois
2021-22: Defensive Coordinator
 
Missouri
2019-20: Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
2018: Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2017: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2016: Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
2015: Safeties
 
Memphis
2014: Cornerbacks

North Texas

2013: Cornerbacks

 

Oklahoma

2012: Graduate Assistant/Cornerbacks

 

Arizona

2011: Defensive Backs

2010: Graduate Assistant

 

Colorado

2009: Student Assistant/Secondary