ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Turpin football coach Bryan Walker stepped down from the position Thursday morning after three seasons.
Walker led the Spartans to two playoff appearances in three seasons in Division II, Region 8. La Salle defeated visiting Turpin 28-27 in a Region 8 first-round game Oct. 31.
"My time at Turpin was challenging but rewarding," Walker told WCPO 9 Sports in a text message Saturday afternoon.
"I'm proud of the way our team played under my watch and the current state of the program. I appreciate the opportunity and support from many families and players and fully expect the momentum to continue. I intend to remain active in and around football and am excited for the next step for the Spartans and myself."
Turpin (5-6, 5-4 in Eastern Cincinnati Conference) earned the No. 12 seed in the region this season. Turpin was the No. 16 seed in 2023.
The Spartans have an 11-21 record the past three seasons.
“I want to thank Coach Walker for the tremendous job he did leading our program,” Turpin athletic director Tony Hemmelgarn told WCPO 9 Sports in a text message Saturday afternoon.
“As a reminder, he came into a program that was 1-9 the year before his arrival that had also been running clocked seven times in those 10 games.”
Turpin had a 4-2 record at the end of September.
“This season marked an earned return to the playoffs and several near misses against great teams and programs,” Hemmelgarn said. “A lot of good work has been done here. The foundation is strong and the future is bright.”
The position will be posted soon, Hemmelgarn said. Interested parties may email Hemmelgarn at tonyhemmelgarn@foresthills.edu.
Walker was named the Turpin coach in February 2023.
Walker arrived 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 was just the fourth head football coach in the history of Turpin High School including Bob Berta, Rob Stoll and Kent McCullough. Turpin started football in 1976, according to Hemmelgarn.
