1982-1986

Walker ready for team to win aarne u "I don't believe we were that The Meridian Star

close a s a team last year, but we're a lot closer now. We all have the same goal to improve and I think that will help us this year." The closeness Walker talks about goes not only for the team, but for one particular group - the secondary. Wa l k e r i s o n e of t h r e e sophomores who starts in the EC- JC secondary. The other two a r e Andreal Tabb and Greg Sanders. Walker says the three a r e good f r i e n d s , " w e ' r e a l l l i k e brothers", he says. "It gives me more confidence to have them on the field a t the same time," says Walker. "We know what each other can do. I 'm not a s wo r r i ed abou t somebody on offense getting behind me." Tabb and Sanders both started last season ' a s cornerbacks. Walker started the season opener at strong safety, but then out with an ankle injury. returned for the latter part season and then worked the offseason to win the starting position back. - - -- - - - Besides lifting weights and r u n n i n g , h e s t u d i e d t h e ~ssignmentsof a strong safety. Yarrior assistant coach Tony rriplett, who works with the ,econdary, says the work is pay- ng off and a lot is expected of Nalker. "We have big expectations for i im, " s a i d T r i p l e t t . He ' s natured a lot and he should be me of our leaders this year." Walker is not accustomed to he secondary. When he played 'ootball at.dewton High School, le was a linebacker and even a lefensive ' tackle his senior season. When he was moved to the lefensive backfield for junior :allege. he really had to work on 2ecoming quicker. He's says he has brought his time down from -- 5.2 to 4.7 rn the 40 since coming to Decatur. beside needing more

DECATUR - Bi l l y R a y Walker didn't hesitate when reflecting back to the winless 1984 East Central Junior College football season. "It's not something we want to go through again." he said. We want to get off the bottom." ECJC finished with an 0-10 record. However, Walker is more op- timistic about this season. His feeling is based on the hard work of the team during the offseason id the closeness of the team. "We've worked hard to im- prove ourselves," he said. Before the season started last year, we had one week of two-a-days (pratices).This year we had two weeks.

qui'&-',-~alker worked on I ting weights for more strength. A strong safety's duties a r e com- pared more to a linebacker than a n y o t h e r pos i t ion in t he secondary. F o r examp l e , among his assignments IS to cover the tight end. Walker stands 5-10 and weighs 195pounds. It's a good bet then he'll always be up against a bigger man. But Triplett says don't let Waker's size fool you. "He may not look that big, but he's a hard hitter. He'll be facing players a lot bigger than himself. but he's pretty aggressive. He's not afraid to apply a hit." E C J C h e a d c o a c h A . J Kilpatrick is expecting good things out of the secondary because of the experience. There is s p e e d in t he de f ens i ve backfield and game experience. Walker hopes that experience is put to good use in the forrr - an improved season.

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