When University of Memphis football coach Tommy West hires Tim Walton as his defensive coordinator — possibly as early as next week — it will represent a second chance for West and Walton.

West desperately wanted to hire Walton, a former Ohio State defensive back and ex-Tiger assistant, a year ago. But Walton couldn’t pass up an attractive offer to become the University of Miami’s DC under first-year coach Randy Shannon.

Walton and Shannon didn’t see eye to eye and Shannon dismissed Walton in mid-December. West won’t miss an opportunity to reel Walton back to Memphis.

In Walton, West will have a defensive coordinator who will run the 4-3 defense with the same precision and effectiveness West ran it during the latter stages of the 2006 season, when West served as the team’s interim DC. And in Walton, West will have a strong, young recruiter with a solid reputation in talent-rich Florida.

It’s a win-win situation for West. And it’s a great situation for Walton, who should benefit from retaining a defensive coordinator’s title.