On this episode of Inside the Headset – Presented by CoachComm, we're joined by Matt Walker, head football coach at University of Wisconsin–River Falls.

Coach Walker reflects on his journey through the profession, including his early years as both a head baseball and football coach, the lessons learned from navigating tough seasons, and the mindset shifts that helped him build a national championship program at the Division III level.

Follow Coach Walker and UW–River Falls Football:
@CoachWalkerRF | @UWRFFootball

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00:00 Intro
01:09 Getting into the profession
01:33 When did you want to be a part of this great profession?
05:14 Breaking away from the family career path
06:44 Taking over as interim head coach
09:23 Maturing quickly to handle the workload
12:26 Life as an offensive assistant (2000–2005)
14:44 Leading both baseball and football programs
18:28 Lessons learned coaching multiple sports
21:25 Learning to step back after leading
23:46 Building a sharper plan at River Falls
25:31 Putting your own flavor on a program
29:13 Learning from gambles that didn't work
32:49 Why UW–River Falls was the right fit
35:25 Importance of administrative support
37:58 Lessons from a 0–10 season
40:11 Championships and hardship
41:10 Mindset shifts as a head coach
46:23 Transitioning to tempo
49:04 Team communication and internal leadership
51:24 Creating a program opponents feel
53:13 Reflecting on the journey
59:43 Closing