Taylor offered coordinator job at Baylor

Tennessee wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor has been offered the offensive coordinator job at Baylor University, a source close to the situation told the News Sentinel.

Taylor missed the Vols’ brief workout Sunday in the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center while interviewing for the job at his alma mater in Waco, Texas.

According to the source, Taylor could make a decision on Baylor’s offer as early as today.

Taylor also is considered a candidate to replace David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator at Tennessee.

Cutcliffe, who spent the last two years at UT, was named Duke’s new head coach Saturday.

The News Sentinel reported Sunday that Tennessee contacted Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Kippy Brown, a former UT assistant, about its offensive coordinator job.

UT offensive line coach Greg Adkins and New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone, another former UT assistant, also are possible candidates.

Taylor joined UT’s staff in 2004 and has coached running backs and wide receivers. He also is UT’s assistant head coach for player development.

Before that, he spent five seasons at Tulane, one season at New Mexico and began his coaching career with a six-year stint at Baylor, where he played defensive back 1988-91.

UT coach Phillip Fulmer confirmed Sunday that Taylor interviewed for the Baylor job.

“When you have good people that do a good job, there are opportunities,” Fulmer said. “He’s a Baylor graduate, family lives there. Certainly that’s something professionally that he needed to look at.

“He did it the right way and their coach called us and went through the channels. It’s no problem. He’ll be back and ready to go (Monday).”

Taylor, one of Tennessee’s best recruiters, has twice been courted for other jobs.

In January, Taylor spoke with Howard University about its head-coaching job, but pulled his name from consideration shortly thereafter.

Following the 2004 season, Taylor turned down an offer to become an assistant coach at Texas.

Taylor is UT’s highest paid position coach at $175,000 after signing a contract in July that runs through June of 2009.

Fulmer, who has received and made calls about hiring a new offensive coordinator, said Sunday that he would thoroughly research potential candidates before making any decision.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!