TIFFIN - Dave Walkosky can now hang a "TU" jacket next to his hard-earned "UT" letter jacket.

The former University of Toledo free safety, who later served the Rockets as an assistant coach, has been named head football coach at Tiffin University.

Walkosky replaces Nate Cole who resigned last month to pursue other coaching opportunities. The Dragons, who were 9-2 last season, will be entering the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference next season.

A Steubenville native,

Walkoski came to UT as a walk-on, became a starter, and earned a scholarship for his junior year. As a senior, he was the second-leading tackler for the 1990 Mid-American Conference co-champions. He comes to Tiffin after serving one year as an assistant at Washington State.

His 16-year coaching credentials also include stops at Waynesburg College, Memphis, and Tennessee-Martin before joining the Toledo staff as a defensive coach from 1990-2006.

Walkoski has a bachelor's degree from UT and a master's from Memphis. He and his wife, Wendy, have two sons.

First Published April 22, 2008, 8:55 a.m.