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Even after former Tennessee assistant football coach Trooper Taylor had accepted the co-offensive coordinator position at Oklahoma State, he hoped for an opportunity to become UT’s offensive coordinator.
Taylor said when the front- runner for the job, Detroit Lions receivers coach Kippy Brown, decided to stay with Detroit as the passing game coordinator, Taylor thought he might once again become a candidate.
That opportunity never came about as Taylor realized coach Phillip Fulmer was planning to go in a different direction.
“I think Phillip has a bigger plan and something that he wants to do different,” Taylor said on the News Sentinel Sports Page radio show. “Once he sets his mind, that is what he is going to do.
“That is what makes him a good coach, because once he sets his mind to doing something and jumps in with both feet he usually gets it done. This is just one of those times that I truly believe he just wanted to go a different route.”
Taylor might prove to be a better fit for Oklahoma State than he would have been for UT. He’ll have an opportunity to work with the Cowboys’ spread offense, which Taylor said is his background.
“I really like giving the ball to athletes in space,” said Taylor, who coached running backs and receivers during his four years at UT. “That is something I truly believe in and then I believe in matchups.
“When you can take a kid and match a skill guy up on a linebacker or get him in space and get him the football and then watch him do something. That is the reason why you recruit those types of athletes, in my opinion.”
Taylor said he doesn’t expect Fulmer to change his offensive philosophy, which relies on a traditional, pro-style approach.
“He is not afraid to step out of his box and bring somebody in that can tweak some of it,” Taylor said of Fulmer.
“As long as it has his fingerprint on it he will do what he believes in and that is the offense that has won a national championship and has put up points in this league and helped him compete in this league and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.”
Taylor said his preference would have been to stay at UT if he were going to be elevated to a coordinator position. He didn’t see that opportunity with the Vols, but he did at Oklahoma State.
It was a step he felt necessary to take in order to reach his ultimate goal, a head coaching position.
“Every time you get an interview for a head coaching job one of the questions they ask is, ‘Have you ever called plays?’ and that box would be checked off from here on out,” he said. “The second one is, ‘Have you had any head coaching experience?’
“Until you get that first one checked off you will not get the second one checked off. That was a big part of it and none of that ever occurred (at UT).”
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by asleep on January 8, 2008 at 5:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Classy comments, as expected, from Trooper. I like the guy but still believe Fulmer is on track in bringing in a whole new set of coaches from outside the Vol family. It's what we all generally thought was necessary and I'm glad he's doing it. The proof will be in the puddiing but we already know what has happened when we only promoted from within.
Go Vols!!!
Posted by GerryOP on January 8, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like there is a whole lot more to Troop than wearing a hat backwards and chest bumps. He is focused on what he wants to do and shows respect for those who help him get there. Interesting observations on PAF. Good luck Troop, and thanks for your contributions to UT football! God bless and God Speed. Be well.
Posted by orangebass on January 8, 2008 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
vols need someone with proven experience in running an offense, tennessee's program should be beyond having to get someone in that is still a question mark. good luck to trooper but at this point the team needs more than chest bumpin' and towel wavin'......
Posted by RockyTop1 on January 8, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He WILL be missed just too early to be OC at Tennessee! Maybe next time! GO VOLS!!
Posted by RockyTopRooks on January 8, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
umm i beleive troop has a little more to him than "chest bumpin and towel wavin" we lost a good coach. Good luck Troop.
Posted by VOLinDAWGland on January 8, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well Troop is now officially part of the UT family so a future return as HC depending on how his career progresses may be possible. I think he has the potential to be an outstanding HC.
Posted by invisiblekid on January 8, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No reason for hard feelings on either side of this issue from the sound of it, just a fundamental difference in philosophy. Folks need to get over the backwards cap, chest bump issue. I don't have any doubt that the guy can coach and think he proved that in turning a group of underachieving RB's and unknown WR's into serviceable players, not to mention coaching Meachem into a first rounder. Hope he proves successful at OK ST and gets the chance to further his career.
Posted by pdhuff on January 8, 2008 at 6:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Agree invisiblekid 6:17- he did yeoman duty to get as many yards out of these WRs as he did and to get a 1000 yds out of a slow Foster was amazing.
I, too, wish him the best at OSU and "ball to athletes in space" translates into yards.
I'll get real giddy when I see some big, quick d-linemen performing next fall.
Posted by dfreeman on January 8, 2008 at 6:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck Troop!!! You are an extraordinary coach and exceptional person!! You'll be missed!!
Posted by VOLnATL on January 8, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck TT. You will be missed.
Posted by lnbadger320 on January 8, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
orangebass you're clueless. TT wouldn't have been any worse than Cut. i promise he would have tried to get our best ball players out on the field..
Posted by Volker on January 8, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gridscape is from Scout.com. I haven't seen that e-mail as I am in now way in any circles. I live in MF GA and long to be in a vol inner circle. I rely on the web (specifically KNS online) to keep my finger on the Vol pulse. I do know that gridscape comes from Scout.com.
I'm really going to miss Trooper. At least he'll still be in orange.
Posted by mbradshaw1 on January 8, 2008 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dale Jones comes to mind. What say you ?
Posted by cdldoc on January 8, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's get a mirror image of touchdowntn as coach and get ....nothing.
Posted by vol52 on January 8, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope Fulmer is correct. If he promotes Adkins then I will not be happy and cut them NO SLACK this season. TT would have been a breath of fresh air. I wish him well and pray we get an OC with a hint of new ideas.
Posted by AppStVol on January 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Trooper Taylor ment did a lot for this program, but i couldn't justify hiring him as OC with no experience. It could have been the best decision Fulmer ever made as far as recruiting, but could have been the worst as far as play calling. Thanks for everything and best of luck in the Big 12 TT!
Posted by volfan73120 on January 8, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TDTN will always be a jerk. Just try to ignore him. He is not a Vol Fan, and could never qualify as one.
Posted by awhill00 on January 8, 2008 at 7:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wish Taylor the best, but I still think we should keep him and go to the spread.
Posted by smokedoctor on January 8, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
From: Goodman, Mark
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 4:59 PM
To: Berry, Don; Cawood, Lynn; Wilkerson, Scott
Mark Goodman?!!! Isn't he the guy that used to bee th VeeJay on MTV? Man!! You really get inside info from celebrityys!!!
Posted by thesavageorange on January 8, 2008 at 7:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by VOLinDAWGland on January 8, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well Troop is now officially part of the UT family so a future return as HC depending on how his career progresses may be possible. I think he has the potential to be an outstanding HC.
I 100% agree w/ that post.See you down the road Troop.Once a true Vol always a true Vol.
Posted by TurboFan on January 8, 2008 at 8:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I was a Cowboy fan, I'm not sure I would find some of those remarks to be all that endearing. I guess it's a good thing I'm not.
Posted by Volalumnus on January 8, 2008 at 8:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder how some know what a vol fan is?
I wonder if there is anything more than looking into a mirror or listening to one's self?
I go many places far and wide and have always managed to find vol fans everywhere. Even in the belley of enemy territory.
I am amazed at how easy it is for others to not see the orange blood running in others veins for the orange paint on their own body.
The Orange Nation is great and loud made up of kool aid drinkers and naysers.
....but our weakest links are those spending too much time looking in the mirror and agreeing with only what they see.
Go Vols and shout even louder.
Posted by ncvol17 on January 8, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's funny how a year ago or 2 it was unthinkable that we would let an up and comer like Trooper go. Everyone was demanding we give him a titla and more $$ to stay. Now it is a fond farewell and words to the effect that we need to look outside the family. He was only part of the family a short while wasn't he? I think we lost a great coach & a greater coach in the making. Also one who really wanted to stay at UT and make a mark there. What will we get, an NFLer who will stay a year and go back or a cast off from another program?
Posted by ReallyAVolFan on January 8, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Taylor shows both his class and his smarts!!! Don't burn bridges!!! We may see Taylor back at UT in the future. Love him or hate him, Fulmer will not be our coach forever. With some experience "calling plays" and as a head coach somewhere, we could see Taylor back at UT at some point. GOOD LUCK, Trooper!!!
Posted by TommyJack on January 8, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Volalumnus: Are you doing shrooms?
Posted by Volalumnus on January 8, 2008 at 8:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not that I am aware
just wondering how......He is not a Vol Fan.....
can be so easy to toss around.
Posted by orangebass on January 8, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Inbadger320, clueless ??? justification for making him oc is that he 'wouldn't have been any worse than Cut. i promise he would have tried to get our best ball players out on the field..' get a clue, that is why vols are no better than they are. time to get someone BETTER than cut, and trying to get best players on the field is not the problem...getting players on the field to execute the plays that nobody expects is the problem. if tt proves he can coach an offense THEN bring him back !
Posted by justin35us on January 8, 2008 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't have an opinion on TT either way but I know he is gone and the KNS and Sports Animal crew need to accept it and stop writing speculative senseless stuff like this. He left, of course he would have stayed if he got the job, common sense. Hooker wrote almost the same thing. Let's not beat a dead horse and move on already, it has been 3 weeks!
Posted by Plasticman on January 8, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bad move by Fulmer to let Trooper get away. Give him an Asst. OC position or something to keep him here. His player relations and recruiting were worth every penny we could have paid him. I hope he is successful at OSU and maybe we can get him back some day, possibly as Head Coach???
Posted by cjraney on January 8, 2008 at 10:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopefully we'll see Trooper roaming the sidelines at Neyland again in 3-4 years. Good luck to him and his family.
Posted by why36knot on January 8, 2008 at 11:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not a bad move by Fulmer nor by Taylor.
Tennessee was not going to hire Taylor as OC and pay him more than they were paying Cutcliffe. Oklahoma State is paying hime $390,000 per year.
That is almost triple what he made here. What would you have done?
Posted by posivol on January 8, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
great guy and a real players coach,good luck at osu but i personally think you jumped the gun.couple more years under fulmers guidance would serve you better down the road imo.as you may have noticed tn coaches are highly sought after and i believe you would have got your shot in 2 or 3 years and the whole program in 5 to 6 years.being a top 10 job in the sport i think it would have been worth the wait.when the change does come in the future i feel your name will be in the hat and maybe we will see you again.coach fulmer taught you alot and now its time to put it to use on your own.good luck troop and thanks for your services.
Posted by agentorange on January 9, 2008 at 12:40 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by FWBVol on January 9, 2008 at 1:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please Trooper take touchdownTN with you and make him tdOKst. Maybe Cowboy fans will like his act, but his lame logic has grown old on this site.
Posted by calivol on January 9, 2008 at 4:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ironically enough, the english word for "estupido" happens to be "agentorange"
Posted by slovog on January 9, 2008 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've got a fever. And the only antidote is more "FOOLmore". Or "KrispyKreme".
Posted by chas_turner on January 9, 2008 at 6:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Trooper is getting a "Co" Coordinator title but still won't be calling plays, according to OSU coach Mike Gundy. Gundy contradicts Trooper about the play calling in the media but the UT staff had to do the same when Trooper named starters that were not really starters. OSU wanted Trooper for recruiting and that's what both are getting.
Posted by sandboxpup on January 9, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My gosh...between the Sports Page radio show and the newspaper, these guys can't keep from beating this dead horse. Note to all readers/listeners...Trooper is gone. And all it took was a "23 minute phone interview" to find that out. It's obvious that the Sentinel has lost its inside source...get over it. Good luck, Troop, we love ya...and with help from this site, I'm sure we will NEVER forget you.
Posted by jhenson on January 9, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW...getting the ball to athletes in open space. Creating mismatches with linebackers....those are some radical concepts. I'm glad we aren't adopting such an absurd offensive philosophy. With the pro-style coaches Fulmer is bringing in, the great recruiting class we will surely sign, the innovative blitz schemes the chief will implement, the new and improved charts, and above all...staying the course, I feel confident we will score 30 against Florida next year and only surrender 42. Marked improvement from this past season.
Posted by mjq22 on January 9, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Im so tired of people saying we couldn't hire Trooper cause he had never called plays. Well you have to start somewhere and if he has never called plays then he would be unpredictable and noone would know how to gameplan for him. And for the people who say you aren't a Tennessee fan if you don't support Fulmer you are fools. You can support a program like I do by going to all the games buying merchandise, concessions and just being a loyal fan without wanting to keep the head coach in place. Phil messed up here by not keeping Trooper. Someone mentioned earlier that we need to bring someone outside the UT family in. Well Trooper was an outsider and look at the great job he was doing. Phil never had head coaching experience and we promoted him. We are going to miss this guy more than you know
Posted by VOLstuckINky on January 9, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Said it before ... he'll never call a single play in Gundy's offense ..... outside of recriuting .... this is no big loss.
Posted by utfpmd on January 9, 2008 at 5:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
God Bless, Trooper. Romans 8:28.
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