Dennis Walker

Bio

Coach Dennis Walker is entering his 20th year with the DeSoto ISD football program and brings a total of 23 years of coaching experience to the field. Before joining DeSoto, Coach Walker worked under legendary coach Frank Gendusa—serving as Running Backs Coach, Defensive Backs Coach, and Special Teams Coach. Coach Gendusa, known for coaching Peyton Manning and his family at Newman High School in Louisiana, now serves as Head Coach at Fort Worth Country Day.
In 2007, Coach Dave Meadows hired Coach Walker as Athletic Coordinator at East Junior High School. When Coach Claude Mathis became the Head Coach in 2008, Coach Walker joined his staff and has remained a key contributor ever since.
Coach Walker was part of the historic 2016–2017 DeSoto football team under Coach Todd Peterman that went undefeated (16–0) and captured the school’s first-ever State Championship. He now serves as the Head Coach for the Freshman Football team and as an Assistant Special Teams Coach for the varsity team under Coach Mathis. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, DeSoto claimed back-to-back State Championships, and under Coach Walker's leadership, the Freshman team went undefeated with an academic passing rate of 97%.
Many student-athletes who have come through what’s known as the “Walker School of Football” have gone on to play at the collegiate level and beyond—including in the NFL.
In addition to his football responsibilities, Coach Walker is also the Head Coach of the Lady Eagles Softball Team. In 2025, he led the team to a historic win at the Fort Worth Dunbar Softball Tournament—the first time in program history the Lady Eagles secured the title. Coach Walker has helped more than 12 student-athletes earn college scholarships in softball, including:
• Helen Broomfield – 2x 6A Catcher of the Year (Howard University)
• Skyla Jones – Coffeyville Kansas Community College
• Shatavion Favors – Xavier University
• Dali Thomas – Jarvis Christian University
• Jaden Smith – Talladega College
Coach Walker played college football at McMurry University, where he was a standout running back and three-year letterman. He was a member of the 1993 Aztec Bowl team and earned First Team All-American honors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from McMurry and earned a Master of Education in Teacher Leadership from Walden University in December 2019.
Coach Walker is a proud father. His daughter, YaKiri Walker, is a DeSoto High School graduate and currently the starting center at the University of Memphis. His sons—Kaiden, Emmitt, and Jared—keep him busy with daily texts and their signature FaceTime calls.
When he's not coaching or with family, Coach Walker enjoys fishing for crappie on his boat—a favorite way to unwind from his busy schedule