ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Turpin High School named Bryan Walker as its new head football coach Sunday afternoon, pending board of education approval.
Walker arrives at Turpin after being the head coach the past five years at Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, Ky. Walker led the team to a 33-12 record over his past four seasons.
Bethlehem was ranked in the top 10 in Kentucky in Class 1A including a state semifinal appearance in 2021.
Walker succeeds former Turpin coach Kent McCullough who stepped down Jan. 13 after leading the Spartans to a 32-27 record in six seasons. Mason head coach Brian Castner announced McCullough as the Comets' defensive coordinator Jan. 18.
Walker is just the fourth head football coach in the history of Turpin High School including Bob Berta, Rob Stoll and McCullough. Turpin started football in 1976, according to athletic director Tony Hemmelgarn.
Walker is known for the prolific offenses he has directed during his career, saying he enjoys making it fast and fun with an attacking style. His teams broke numerous school records while leading the state in scoring on multiple occasions. Additionally, he has mentored multiple all-state quarterbacks.
Walker has also coached at Centre College and Boyle County — two well-known Kentucky programs. He has also coached at his Indian Hill High School, his alma mater, where he is a hall of famer having excelled in football, basketball and baseball. Walker, a 1999 Indian Hill graduate, played wide receiver in high school and at Centre College.
Walker said he's looking forward to the challenge of helping a school that has had a football tradition over the years. Walker plans to meet the team this Friday. Turpin opens the season against visiting Oak Hills on Aug. 18.
"I can't wait to get back to Cincinnati and get to work," Walker said in a statement. "Turpin is one of the premier schools in Ohio and has a great football tradition. The success across the board in the athletic department speaks to the quality of the student-athletes and families at Turpin. It's an honor to be the next Turpin head coach and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We play in one of the best football conferences in the state, and we have to bring it every week. I can't wait to meet the team, and look forward to the process of getting back on top of the ECC in the coming years."
Hemmelgarn said he can't wait to see Walker get started with the Spartans.
"It's always exciting to do a coaching search because you learn so much about how you are perceived by the outside world," Hemmelgarn said. "The great news is, many people like Bryan think like we do, which is that with a whole lot of hard work and great leadership, anything is possible. Bryan is a proven winner with a track record of getting the most out of those around him. I have no doubt that he is the right person to get the most out of our kids and lead us into the future."
Walker is married to his wife, Maggie, and the couple has a daughter, Blair.
