Former Sul Ross State University quarterback and offensive coordinator Scotty Walden has been inducted into the 2019 class of the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute.
 
The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession. Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute that features a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance.
 
Walden currently serves as wide receiver's coach at the University of Southern Mississippi, a position he has held for two seasons.
 
Following his senior season with the Lobos, Walden served as offensive coordinator at Sul Ross. Under his leadership, Walden's offense led all of NCAA averaging 581.9 yards per game and 48.8 points per game. His offense produced two D3Football.com All-Americans and six All-ASC products. Sul Ross broke 16 overall offensive school records with two of them being most offensive yards in a game (800) and points in a game (75).
 
Because of his success in his first year as an offensive coordinator, Walden had the chance to coach the quarterbacks at the National Bowl in December 2012 in which two of his players played in. He has also coached at the Air It Out Passing Camp from 2009 to 2011.
 
Prior to Southern Miss, Walden served as head football coach and offensive coordinator at East Texas Baptist University.
 
In his first three years as the offensive coordinator Walden's offense had re-written ETBU's record book for individual, single game, and season records while being nationally known for passing and scoring. In his time as an assistant, a total of 26 combined individual and team records were broken. He produced four 1,000 yard receivers, two 1,000 yard rusher and one Gagliardi Trophy semi-finalist in Josh Warbington. His offense was consistently been one of the top offenses in NCAA Division III in and in 2014 finished ranked first in total passing offense (368.1 ypg), second in total offense (566.1 ypg) and 11th in scoring offense (42.3 ppg).
 
Walden was the starting quarterback at Dordt College (2008) and Sul Ross (2011). In his senior season with the Lobos he was the team captain and was given the Leadership award. He was awarded All-ASC academic awards twice and started his freshman season at Dordt College. During his time at Hardin-Simmons (2009-10), he played both as a quarterback and defensive back.
 
He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sul Ross in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in History. He made the dean's list in 2011 and 2012 along with being inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society.
 
According to the AFCA website, this year's Leadership Institute class was chosen from a field of hundreds of applicants. In order to be eligible, applicants had to be born on or after January 1, 1984, and must be currently serving as a high school head coach, two-year college full-time assistant or head coach, or NAIA/NCAA (all divisions) full-time or head coach. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or five-minute live instructional video on an Offensive, Defensive, Special Teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing.
 
Members of the AFCA 2019 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute receive a stipend to assist with expenses incurred while attending the AFCA Convention, provided by the NCAA Leadership Development and the American Football Coaches Foundation. They will be published in the bi-monthly AFCA Magazine, AFCA Insider weekly email blast, and/or have their articles added to the AFCA Educational Library; placed on the AFCA Foundation Committee; and become a part of the great network of rising coaches in the profession along with many other benefits.
 
The AFCA 2019 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute will take place on Sunday, January 6, at the AFCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.