Jim Walden, a longtime quarterback and college football coach, has passed away at the age of 88 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
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Iowa State and Washington State, the two universities where he coached, announced the news with statements. They did not provide a cause of death, but 247Sports reported that Walden had died of acute respiratory failure.
A former All-American quarterback at Wyoming, Walden had an opportunity to play professional football in the United States before the merger. The Cleveland Browns selected him in the 1960 NFL draft while the Denver Broncos selected him in the 1960 AFL Draft.
However, he opted to head to the Canadian Football League. He played for the BC Lions, as well as Edmonton and Calgary, before hanging up his cleats.
Walden moved into coaching and spent time with multiple programs. He first started with high school football in Mississippi before joining Nebraska. He served as an assistant coach as the team won back-to-back National Championships in 1970-71. He also coached at Miami (Florida).
He ultimately landed in the PAC-10. He headed to Washington State to be an assistant coach to Warren Powers in 1977. He then took over as head coach in 1978. He remained in this role through 1986 while leading the Cougars to the Holiday Bowl in 1981.
The former quarterback won PAC-10 Coach of the Year in both 1981 and 1983 after leading the Cougars to winning seasons. Equally important for fans of the team, he reignited the rivalry with the Washington Huskies. He did so by leading the team to an upset win in 1982, which prevented the Huskies from reaching the Rose Bowl.
Walden headed to Iowa State in 1987 and kicked off an eight-year tenure with the Cyclones. He led the team to an overall record of 28-57. His best season with the team took place in 1989 as the team went 6-5.
Following the end of Walden's coaching career, he received a significant honor. Washington State University inducted him into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Coach Walden," said WSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow.
"He will forever be remembered as a great Coug who deeply loved Washington State. Our heart is with Coach Walden's family, friends and all the former players whose lives he positively impacted."
