Trooper Taylor could soon be returning to the SEC.
Newly hired Auburn coach Gene Chizik has requested and received permission from Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy to interview Taylor, the Cowboys’ co-offensive coordinator, according to a source close to the interview process.
On Friday, Chizik named Oklahoma State running backs coach Curtis Luper as his running backs coach.
Taylor coached receivers at Tennessee from 2004-07 before leaving for Oklahoma State. Taylor, who is from Cuero, Texas, had previous ties with Gundy. Both were assistants at Baylor in 1996.
Taylor was a candidate to be UT’s offensive coordinator following David Cutcliffe’s departure to Duke after the 2007 season. Former UT coach Phillip Fulmer chose Dave Clawson from Richmond as offensive coordinator instead.
Taylor helped the Cowboys to seventh best in total offense and eighth best in scoring offense in the NCAA this season.
Taylor could also be a candidate at Miami and a possible candidate at Florida if receivers coach Billy Gonzales doesn’t return. Regarded as a strong recruiter, Taylor is known for having success recruiting prospects from Florida.
Gonzales could follow former Gators offensive coordinator Dan Mullen to Mississippi State, where he was named the Bulldogs coach last month. Gonzales has also been linked to UT, which has yet to complete its staff under first-year coach Lane Kiffin. It is unclear if Taylor is a candidate for Kiffin’s staff.
Taylor coached at Baylor from 1992-97, New Mexico State in 1998 and Tulane from 1999-2003 before joining UT’s staff.
In his time in Knoxville, Taylor coached receivers and running backs. He coached future NFL wide receiver Robert Meachem to All-America honors in 2006. Taylor also led Cedric Houston and Gerald Riggs Jr., who became Tennessee’s only pair of 1,000-yard rushers in the same season, in 2004.
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Comments » 51
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
We don't need him now, anyway . . .
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
First! Dang, that guy just beat me!
blitzshoot writes:
Don't know if this would be the right move for Troop.
May want to stay put for now.
4EST writes:
This proves that Fulmer was not a good judge of offensive coaching talent. He actually chose Dave Clawson over Trooper Taylor?? Geez....
Trooper seems like a great recruiter and has an aggresive offensive mindset. Is Lane Kiffin even looking at Trooper for any positions on the staff?
Slystone writes:
Loved too see Troop back in Big Orange Country (not with Auburn), but Coach Kiffin has his own coaches in mind. I hate when fans write off a coach like him. Troop did well here at UT, enough too get him the job at OK State. How quickly we forget this.
budd#207344 writes:
If drooper was such a great oc why is already leaving THE MAN? He is Rodney Garner all over again. Good recruiter but never gets a sniff as anything other than a position coach. Auburn would be a good fit for him
HallowedHill writes:
Trooper was an exciting, energetic coach for UT. He will be an asset wherever he goes. Good luck Trooper.
adamsck#591720 writes:
I don't understand the Trooper haters either. He got good production from the backs when that was his responsibility and then did the same with the receivers. He was also a bangup recruiter. I understood at the time why CPF didn't think he was ready to be OC. With hindsight obviously Trooper might have been a better OC than Clawson. But if that had happened we wouldn't have CLK. But don't hate on Trooper he was a good Vol while he was here and his leaving wasn't his choice.
Good luck Trooper.
orangevolz writes:
settle down....why the ill will toward Troop. He did a great job at UT. He did great at OSU. He will eventually be a HC somewhere. Until then, he is in demand just about everywhere. Good luck Troop. 99.9% of the UT Fans still love you.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
It is unfair to judge Clawson on one season of work which obviously sucked when his record time and again shows that the second year marked great improvement. We pulled the plug on him and are moving on. Clawson will show his worth over the next few years and I think he will be alright.
Trooper is a good position coach and connects well with the players. It would be great to have him back, but I doubt it will happen.
alwaysorange81 writes:
why all the venom for trooper all the sudden?? Are there some Chavis family members here or something? Dont like backwards hats? I seem to remember no one having a problem at all with trooper when he coached the receivers and got them to actually catch the ball. That after coaching the running backs to success. Troopers positions produced more than any other position coach other than DB's while here at UT. How about some historical prospective here guys.
RTB writes:
Right On, orangevolz!
There were times when Trooper Taylor, coaching and encouraging his young running backs and receivers to get it done out there, was the only bright spot on our side of the field. I am hoping to follow his career for a long while, and wish him good luck.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
Wearin the hat backerds ain't bib'cal!
CynicalCitizen writes:
Trooper will improve the chest bumps at Auburn to a level never before seen.
SemperVol writes:
Simply put... players respond to Trooper Taylor. Really don't think he'd make a move back to a positions coach rather a coordinator position.
TommyJack writes:
Lest I be mistaken, he was also bouncing around the sidelines in '05 as well.
jimr07 writes:
i agree. please explain what trooper's role was at Ok. State. he did NOT call the plays. I know, he is in charge of wearing your hat backward.
givehim6 writes:
Amen brother, I realy, realy wished folmore would have named Trooper OC instead of Clawson. 2008 would have been diferent, but then again Phil would still been here. Funny how thing work out.
Colliervol writes:
Co-offensive coordinator in charge of chest bumps.
bluetick writes:
I agree. Never should have let this guy go. Even if he had stayed I'm sure Kiffin would have traded him for another California connection.
cainclifton23 writes:
So was Candy Sanders.
invisiblekid writes:
How many lateral moves can a coach make? With Malzahn as OC, best he can hope for is another title with "co" in it.
Not saying he didn't so a good job with the RB's, the WR's, and in recruiting, but still don't get the infatuation with him as OC for the Vols a year later.
MemphisVol1485 writes:
All who are dissing Troop, goin ahead and pull your heads out your aces and thank him for getting Eric Berry here. He was the recruiter of the 5 best players we pulled in 2 years ago. Troop never got a fare shake because Chavis didn't like him. He really is a good, smart coach who players listen to and can get players ready to play unlike anyone we had last year.
luvorange writes:
Wish we could get him back. Love that guy.
BillsBrother writes:
I did not follow the Big 12 much this year. Did OK State lead the league in chest bumps?
johnlg00 writes:
I'm with you on this. Trooper would be an asset to any staff. So what if he didn't get along with all the buttoned-down types who slowly dragged us down to mediocrity? Players seemed to love him, and so would coaches who cared about more than their paychecks. He would fit well with the rest of the staff CLK is putting together--THOSE guys have enthusiasm and they will transmit it to the players. I don't think Trooper is likely ever to come back, but I for one would welcome him with open arms.
dvolsdacious#585217 writes:
Dang does he want to come to UT.
VWCJR writes:
Word to Mr. Kiffin - Bring Taylor back, please. You need a connection to the UT Family and Trooper is definitely it!
First game in Neyland Stadium, Trooper would get the loudest ovation for being back and you'd be a hero. We need to see some familiar faces, please.
utmdm writes:
Chest bump kinda like a block. Maybe he cudda helped our OL this year.
Slystone writes:
Troops chest bumps with players upset the blue I mean orange bloods about as much as Tiger Woods fist pump when making a major shot at Augusta. Get over it ppl, Troop has a style that players today relate too. At the same time he still demands their respect. Chest bumps and hat to the back are just symbolic of a hip hop culture that the aristocrats don't care to see in sports. Especially among it's coaches. Again, get over it. Stop judging the book by it's cover. As orange81 said he got results, unlike this past season without him.
cobbwebb writes:
trooper was the only sign of life we had in the previous coaching staff,maybe dan brooks but i didnt see the fire from him that i once saw! trooper is an excellent position coach, who knows how good a coordinator he would make. troop was also an excellent motivator, he spoke the kids language, they could relate to him! i know troop personally, he is the only coach i ever saw in public, the only one accesible to the fans, troop was hurt he couldnt stay at tenn, he really liked it here! i know this because he personally told me this. he said he couldnt get promoted at ut and ok st offered him something he couldnt turn away. never a bad word about the former coaching staff, fans, or administration. trooper is a good guy, a good coach, and good motivator, i cannot understand why people are bashing him all of a sudden?
jimr07 writes:
i would sure hate for him to get a southern california connection. what a lousy program they have. LOL
GR82BAVOL writes:
This is something that hasn't been discussed much. I still wonder had Trooper been OC, would the VOLS have gone 5-7 this season?
It's interesting to think about. Taylor couldn't possibly have been any worse than Sanders, and as we all know in hind-sight now, would've been a better choice than Clawson...
...but then again had that happened, we might not have pulled the trigger on the prior staff, creating all of the excitement and reinvigoration most have for the program now, including me!
southernson writes:
Rodney Garner to interview at Tennessee Monday. Trooper who????
HonoluluVol writes:
That Hater-Aide you're sipping on has you all messed up. Put the glass down and drink some milk. It does the body good. Keep hatin hater. GO VOLS!!!!
HonoluluVol writes:
That's why he's an ASSISTANT OC. Not a position coach their BRAIN. Obviously, your not a football MIND. Go Vols!!!!
CynicalCitizen writes:
When did he become a great recruiter? We had two of our worst recruiting classes ever during Trooper's tenure (one as recruiting coordinator).
HonoluluVol writes:
I agree with you SLY, but these hatin ARSE Faces don't even know why he wears his hat backwards!!!!! Do any of you great football minds wann give your most uneducated backwards acting stab at answering it? Or you afraid of looking stupid as usual.
Vol_in_Mich writes:
I don't think Trooper would want to go to Auburn. OSU is a pretty good program & he won't have Pat Dye looking over everyone's shoulder. Dye & his pals are why Tubby's gone, he wasn't allowed around Tubberville's teams. Look for Auburn to be on probation before long if Pat Dye is around. Not that I care, but it happened before, it will happen again.
Go VOLS!!!
Vol_in_Mich writes:
bib'cal? Didn't know you spoke Bammereze. ;-)
Go VOLS!!!
Vol_in_Mich writes:
Thought I heard one of the TV guys say he needed knee surgery. If true could have something to do with it. Anyway, he had a good game & was co-MVP.
Go VOLS!!!
massivevol writes:
getting troop would be great for the vols. he would be a great position coach for the receiving corps or for the backs. you can never say that the players would not go to war for him. he was a true players coach
diggerland17#448133 writes:
Rodney Garner!!!CLK is the best hire we could have made. This staff is incredible!!!TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!!!
southernson writes:
RODNEY FREEKIN GARNER BABY WEVE GOT OUR MOJO BACK BABY YEAAAA
murrayvol writes:
You've been around this board long enough to know it's heavily populated with serial bashers.
Coach_K writes:
awww....por little fella. All you ever have to say is an insult towards someone. Did somebody's momma not hug them enought when they were a baby. The only "idiot" is you!!! Trooper was a stud for us. Look at the wide out play with and without him. "Nuff" said....idiot...lol.
budd#207344 writes:
I watched three of their games. He was never identified as assistant anything and still stood on the sidelines with his hat backwards doing chest bumps. Althought fewer than he did here. I said he is a good position coach and a very good recruiter. He does not apperently have the talent to be an OC at this point as shown by TWO HC not giving him the position.
Slurp a little less surf and make sure you actually watch what is going on.
mgdchvol writes:
Chill out guys! Troop wouold be welcomed back to the Vols with open arms!
ncvol17 writes:
who will the haters turn their wrath on next? Personally I am po'd at General Neyland. He got old and sick then died. Boy he left us in the lurch pulling that stunt. We should erase his name from campus until he reserects himself and gets his act together back on campus.
cobbwebb writes:
bruce pearl!
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