Wally Ake - Assistant Coach - Linebackers - Football Coaches

Wally Ake

Title:
Assistant Coach - Linebackers
Email:
wake@liberty.edu

Wally Ake was one of four new hires for head coach Danny Rocco in 2009, joining the staff as a secondary coach. Ake will have new responsibilities during the 2011 season, as Rocco has tabbed him Liberty’s new linebackers coach.

The linebacking corps has been the defensive leader on the field for the Flames, as a linebacker has led Liberty in talking during each of the last 10 seasons.

Liberty’s linebackers allowed the Flames to finish last season ranked No. 17 in the country in total defense (309.18 yards allowed per game). Additionally, Liberty’s defense ranked No. 24 in the nation in scoring defense (20.18 points per game), marking the fourth year in a row Liberty has had a Top 25 ranking defensive unit.

Ake’s efforts in the secondary quickly paid dividends for the Flames during his first coaching campaigns on Liberty Mountain. Besides having a Top 25 ranked overall defensive unit, Liberty led the country in turnover margin in 2009 (1.91), due largely in part to 17 interceptions.

Ake came to Liberty from Army, where he spent the previous five years serving as the Black Knights’ secondary coach (2004-08).

Prior to his day at Army, Ake worked a trio of years at Western Michigan (2001-03), as a defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator.

During the 2002 campaign, Ake’s secondary picked off 14 passes, helping the Broncos finish second in the Mid-American Conference in pass defense. In 2001, Western Michigan ranked No. 17 nationally in pass defense.

Prior to his days in Kalamazoo, Mich., Ake was the defensive coordinator at Maryland from 1997 to 2000. Fellow current assistant coach Levern Belin and Flames head coach Danny Rocco worked under him, as Belin was a defensive line coach in 1999 and Rocco was the Terrapins outside linebackers coach in 1998 and 1999.

While overseeing Maryland’s defenders, Ake saw the Terrapins rank as the No. 12 most improved defense in total defense in 1998, No. 13 in scoring defense and No. 14 in improved passing defense. Four of his Maryland players went on to successful NFL careers.

Ake’s first defensive coordinator position came at Rice, where he oversaw the Owls for three seasons (1994-96). Rice ranked No. 25 nationally in four different defensive categories in 1994, helping the Owls to a share of the Southwestern Conference title.

Ake coached linebackers and defensive linemen for more than a decade before he landed his first defensive coordinator role at Rice. He got his collegiate coaching start in 1979, as a linebackers coach at William & Mary, his alma mater.

The Falls Church, Va., native served two different stints at Arkansas, as he was the Razorbacks tight ends coach in 1980 and defensive line coach from 1984-89.

While at Arkansas, his defenders finished two different campaigns ranked in the Top 10 nationally in rushing defense, helping the Razorbacks earn six consecutive postseason bowl berths.

Rounding out Ake’s collegiate experience were three seasons as defensive line coach at Air Force (1981-83) and four years as inside linebackers coach at Clemson (1990-93). While with the Tigers, Ake’s defenders helped Clemson post the nation’s top rated defense in 1990 and the country’s best rushing defense in 1991.

Ake began to build his coaching resume with seven years at Falls Church High School in his hometown, including six years (1972-77) as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator and his last (1978) as the program’s head coach.

Ake’s coaching career has afforded him the opportunity to coach in 12 collegiate bowl games, including the Citrus Bowl (1992), Cotton Bowl (1989 and 1990), Hall of Fame Bowl (1980, 1982 and 1991), Holiday Bowl (1985), Independence Bowl (1983), Liberty Bowl (1984 and 1987), Orange Bowl (1987) and the Peach Bowl (1993).

While earning his bachelor’s degree in physical education and recreation at William & Mary, Ake helped the Tribe to the 1970 Southern Conference title. The All-Southern Conference linebacker also helped William & Mary to the Tangerine Bowl in 1970.

Ake and his wife, Chris, have one son, Aaron, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Wendy, and three children; Vlad, Dmitri and Mila.

The Ake File

Year at Liberty: Third

Coaching Experience:

2009 – Present (2 years) – Liberty (Sec.)

2004-08 (5 years) – Army (DB)

2001-03 (3 years) – Western Michigan (DB, ST)

1997-2000 (4 years) – Maryland (DC)

1994-96 (3 years) – Rice (DC)

1990-93 (4 years) – Clemson (LB)

1984-89 (6 years) – Arkansas (DL)

1981-83 (3 years) – Air Force (DL)