Kragthorpe to Resign Due to Family Medical Issues; Troy Walters Hired to Coach Wide Receivers
Jul 26, 2010 | Football
July 26, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M wide receivers coach Steve Kragthorpe has resigned his coaching position to tend to family medical issues. Troy Walters, an eight-year NFL receiver, the 1999 Biletnikoff Award winner for Stanford, a former A&M Consolidated High School standout and a former ball boy for Aggie football, has been hired to coach wide receivers.
"Steve and I sat down and discussed his situation," Aggie head football coach Mike Sherman said. "I wanted to try to make it work where he could come back this season once the family health issues were resolved. Ultimately, he felt his wife Cynthia, and his three boys, required his undivided attention and I respect him for that. Steve is not only an excellent coach, but he is an even better person. We will keep him and his family in our prayers."
"I am very fortunate and excited to be able to name Troy Walters as our new wide receivers coach," Sherman said. "I coached against Troy when he played for both Minnesota and Indianapolis. It was common knowledge in the NFL among coaches and personnel people that Troy was special. He was never the biggest or fastest, but he still found a way to contribute to a team's success as evident by his eight successful years of NFL service. His intelligence, character and work ethic were his foundation. Those are the same qualities he will bring to the Aggie football program as a coach and recruiter."
"It is well known in NFL circles that Indianapolis wide receivers ran the most disciplined and precise routes in all of football," Sherman continued. "In his interview, he definitely convinced me that he would bring those same qualities out in his receivers."
Walters spent the 2009 season as the offensive coordinator while coaching the quarterbacks and wide receivers at Indiana State University.
"At Indiana State, Troy worked for Trent Miles who worked for me at Green Bay and for whom I have tremendous respect," Sherman explained. "Having spent time in the "West Coast" offense in his career, Troy definitely will come in with some accrued knowledge of our system which will help him get off to a faster start as he learns our offense over the next two weeks."
"I would like to thank Coach Trent Miles and Indiana State University for giving me my first opportunity to develop young men," Walters said. "Indiana State football will forever have a place in my heart. With that, it is a tremendous honor and blessing to be joining the Aggie football coaching staff under the leadership of Coach Mike Sherman. I have the utmost respect for Coach Sherman, Texas A&M University and Aggie football.
"I believe I have a lot to offer," Walters explained. "I have been blessed to have played with many outstanding players during my NFL career and the privilege of playing for some outstanding coaches."
"Having grown up as a coach's son, I was able to learn an awful lot by being around this great game," Walters continued. "Some of my fondest memories are from my high school days in College Station and playing at Tigerland Stadium. The atmosphere at Kyle Field was phenomenal and I can't wait to get back to Aggieland. I believe we have a great group of receivers and I am ready to get to work. I am very familiar with the "West Coast" system and the importance of wide receivers running precise routes."
After setting the Stanford and Pac-10 career record for receptions with 244 receptions for 3,986 yards, Walters was drafted in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. In addition to being a receiver, Walters averaged 23.1 yards per kickoff return and 14.5 per punt return his rookie season and saw action in all 12 games for the Vikings. He took his talents to the Indianapolis Colts in 2002 through the 2005 season helping the Colts reach the playoffs every year His top season catching the ball was 2003 when he caught 36 balls for 456 yards and three touchdowns. In 2005, he set his own personal best game with eight catches for 91 yards and a touchdown against Seattle on Christmas Eve.
In 2006 he played with the Arizona Cardinals and then finished his NFL career playing one season with the Detroit Lions in 2007. At each stop, his receiving and return skills were utilized. He spent the 2008 season trying to catch on with other NFL clubs.
His senior year at Stanford, Walters won the 1999 Biletnikoff Award presented to the nation's top wide receiver. He caught 74 balls for 1,456 yards and 10 touchdowns as he earned consensus All-America honors and was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. He was also Academic All-Pac 10 as well as Academic All-America.
Walters was born Dec. 15, 1976 in Bloomington, Indiana. His father, Trent Walters, has been an assistant football coach at Indiana, Louisville, Washington, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame as well as serving as a defensive assistant coach at Texas A&M from 1991 through 1993. His father never lost a conference game while coaching with the Aggies and Texas A&M won three consecutive Southwest Conference Championships while compiling an overall mark of 32-5. Troy Walters served as a ball boy during those years. Trent Walters has also coached in the NFL with stops at Cincinnati, Minnesota and Philadelphia.
Troy Walters was a second-team All-Greater Houston selection as a wide receiver for A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas. As a senior, he earned third-team All-State honors.
Kragthorpe was hired to coach wide receivers in February of this year after serving as the head coach at Louisville (2007-09) and Tulsa (2003-06). Kragthorpe had served previously on the football coaching staff of R.C. Slocum at Texas A&M from 1997-2000 working with wide receivers, quarterbacks and serving as the offensive coordinator.
"My family is dealing with some medical issues and they need me at home," Kragthorpe said. "The timing could not be helped and I hate to leave Coach Sherman and the guys at this time. My group of receivers worked extremely hard this spring and they were a lot of fun to work with."
"I know this," Kragthorpe stated. "Coach Sherman has Aggie football headed in the right direction. I was a part of the 1998 Big 12 Championship Aggie team and I wish I could stay and be a part of the excitement because I truly believe the championship level of football is coming back to Texas A&M."
