Chris Walker Named Texas Tech Interim Head Coach at Texas Tech

Chris Walker was named as the interim basketball coach at Texas Tech to replace Billy Gillispie.

Report | Texas Tech to Name Chris Walker as Interim Head Coach

KLBK's Matt Roberts tweeted that Texas Tech is to name associate head coach Chris Walker as Texas Tech's interim head coach.

Texas Tech to name Chris Walker as interim head coach of the Mens Basketball program for 2011-2013.

— Matt Roberts (@MattRobertsKLBK) October 4, 2012

Texas Tech to Name Interim Men's Basketball Coach at 5:00 pm

Texas Tech is expected to name its interim men's basketball coach at a new conference today at 5:00 pm.

Report | Coaching Decision Looming, Have Not Contacted Sadler or Evans

ESPN's Andy Katz continues to be in the forefront of this story, stating that it appears that associate head coach Chris Walker is likely to be named as the head coach for Texas Tech and athletic director Kirby Hocutt had not contacted Doc Sadler or Rob Evans:

At this point, there doesn't appear to be a real decision. Of the natural candidates outside Texas Tech -- former Nebraska and UTEP coach and current Kansas director of basketball operations Doc Sadler and current North Texas assistant, former Arizona State and Ole Miss coach and onetime Tech assistant Rob Evans -- neither has been contacted about the job.

That doesn't mean there aren't others out there for athletic director Kirby Hocutt. But if he were going to go with an interim head coach other than Sadler or Evans, he had to ensure it was someone who had a strong connection to the school.

The only choice appears to be Chris Walker, who has been low-key since he was named the day-to-day interim coach after Billy Gillispie resigned on Sept. 20.

Katz also talks with Walker's former boss, Villanova's Jay Wright about Walker:

"He's preparing and been planning for this opportunity someday. He is very astute X-and-O-wise, and his rep as a recruiter is there, because that's what people see. But in coaches' meetings, he is very savvy basketball-wise. His biggest challenge will be the same challenge Billy would face coaching an inexperienced team in a tough conference."

And with Walker's other former boss, New Mexico's Steve Alford:

"He's a Texas guy," said Alford of Walker, who is from Houston. "He knows how to recruit and has a very good basketball IQ. He has good knowledge of the game and how to develop a program. The challenges are, if given the interim position, you must win quickly, and that's going to be a huge challenge this year."

Report | Texas Tech to Decide on Chris Walker This Week

According to ESPN's Andy Katz, Texas Tech should decide on whether to name Chris Walker as the men's basketball coach this week, replacing Billy Gillispie, who recently resigned.