Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy stressed the Cowboys will continue to run the same offense that was implemented under Larry Fedora, who two weeks ago was named coach at Southern Mississippi.
Last week Oklahoma State hired Tennessee wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor and named him co-offensive coordinator.
“We think Taylor is a good fit here,” Gundy told The Oklahoman. “He’s not a guy who just wants to take the offense over. We don’t want to bring in a guy from the outside and do that. Why change what we do? It’s really that simple.”
Taylor, 37, coached with Gundy one year at Baylor (1996). Taylor has coached at Tennessee the past four years, the first two as running backs coach.
“I think Trooper has the capability of being a coordinator,” Gundy said. “He wants to be part of Oklahoma State football. He likes what he sees here. He and I have had a prior relationship.”
Gundy said that he is considering calling plays but a decision has not been made. He was asked if co-offensive coordinators will be a split between running game and passing game.
“We haven’t structured that, yet,” Gundy said. “We’re still working through all that to see what we think is best. I didn’t feel there was any reason to bring a guy from the outside to implement his system, rather bring in a guy who fits our system. Trooper is good with that.”
Gundy said he would not name an offensive coordinator until after the bowl and said that applies to his other co-offensive coordinator.
Taylor will stay at Tennessee through Jan. 1 when the Vols play Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl.
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Comments » 18
pdhuff#552644 writes:
At least they've decided to keep breathing! Talk about generic "coachspeak". Whew.
dallasdog1 writes:
WTF? I thought trooper was going to call the plays...that was the growth opportunity. This sounds like ..............a totally undefined situation that will be "worked out" by the 40 year old man when time allows. Meanwhile, Coach Taylor, just "do everything we did last year".
gohawks1 writes:
How can Troop understand his role with the offense as the headline says when Gundy said, “We haven’t structured that, yet”, referring to how co-offensive coordinators will work? I don't get it, Big Dan.....
murrayvol writes:
Well, at least he's making more money.
utwick writes:
Ditto, murrayvol
andy112382#209793 writes:
Well, heck if they aren't handing him the coordinator duties, I guess it was crazy to think he would get it in knoxville, like I said before, the SEC is not a learning on the job experience. Good luck to him either way, would have loved him to stay, but life goes on! Still a bright orange future ahead!
GO VOLS!!!
Pullingguard writes:
The question is, how did he help himself other than cash. Not determined if he will help with the passing game, the running game and the coach will probably call the plays, so the question is again, Why leave the Vols for his responsibilities have certainly not improved to reach his goals of becoming a head coach.. You don't do that unless you have the offensive or defensive coordinatior experience. Was it that Trooper wanted out of K. Town? Certainly not the job or responsibilities that we had envisioned for him.
scvols writes:
Trooper could had when to Bayor and called plays, but instead he is going to OSU for the money. He will get his chance, he is a good coach.
dgarland1#214014 writes:
I would not be suprised at all to see TT end up a glorified position coach at Ok St. They are paying him the additional money to recruit, which is worth paying him to do. He is a great recruiter.
bullfrog07 writes:
He'll have a coordinator title - that was the decision and much more money, plus he feels they'll be more competitive than Baylor. Regardless if he calls plays or not he'll have the "coordinator" title on his resume.
With Troop's recruiting he'll take them to another level, they'll contend for a Big 12 title in the next 3-4 years I bet. Troop will get some of those Oklahoma and Texas studs for the Cowboys and they'll go from a 6-6 program to a 8-4 / 9-3 program.
GerryOP writes:
Trooper was too young to stay at UT. No one counts on the footVols coaching staff until he is over 50.
Colliervol writes:
Translation of Gundy's comments: He's coming to Stillwater to recruit. And I might let him call a play every now and then.
But hey. It's still a promotion on the resume and more money. So who can argue.
jevolball7 writes:
Sounds like he thought he was going to Jamaica and ended up with Cocke Co. homegrown
ncvol17 writes:
Troop, remember Gundy's a MAN - HE'S 40 DON'T TRY TO CALL YOUR OWN PLAYS or that nut will come down on you like a ton of Lincoln logs..He'l make you want to vomit. ( to quote a nut)
thesavageorange writes:
scvols:Actually, Briles at Baylor calls his own plays also.This was a fight over a recruiter.(atleast in BU & OSU's eyes)Those coaches know they have a corner to turn and fast.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Georgia's hiring of Garner turned off the spigot to the Jamal Lewisesque talent from Ga. Not sure what spigot was turned off by T Taylor leaving, but some dripping has been stopped.
It is amazing that many think we're going to have a "good" year recruiting. Look at us stuck at #42 or #43. Stuck. In the past we might drop down from 4 to 10 or 11, etc. Those days are GONE! Quality D-linemen are not at UT.
We'll be back (possibly) in another non-BCS bowl in 2008 by staying this course. I don't like it any better than the Fulmerites want to read it, but NINE years of NO RINGS is truly staying the course.
TJ, have we got any left! Happy New Year, the Badgers await.
mjq22 writes:
Taylor never had a chance at becoming Offensive Coordinator a Tennessee. Fulmer will not promote people who might have a change at taking his job in the near future. He is afaid of how good Trooper might have done and then people would start talking. Its time for Phil to bring some young coaches into the program and give them an opportunity. Trooper will do amazing no matter where he goes. Look at the job he did with our receivers this year. He makes players overachieve. Its ridiculous Tennessee did not offer him the job. Maybe we can get another 60 year old with heart problems to call the plays. Or a good ole boy former QB (Randy Sanders) maybe Andy Kelly is available. Its time for something different. Something outside of the box. Something outside the Tennessee programs. 9 years and counting for that next SEC title. It wont happen with Fulmer
txsvol#372416 writes:
Guys, we have at least three Texas players we would not have had (the two from Tatum, + McKenzie) without Troop. We also have Jones from Oklahoma and others that he influenced as chief recruiting coordinator. If we don't get someone as personable and relatable as he, we'll really sink further into mediocrity. We lost the pipeline to Georgia when the Georgia program hired Richt (and Garner), and now, for recruiting coordinator, we need to look to the coaches on the staffs of Florida schools, who might be able to increase our draw for those players. That state, like Texas, turns out too many good players to have them play at their three in-state majors. TT was/is too smart to go to Baylor. It's worse than Vanderbilt! Go Vols! SAVol
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