Former Tennessee assistant coach Trooper Taylor is leaving his job as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach with Oklahoma State to join Gene Chizik's staff at Auburn as assistant head coach in charge of wide receivers.
"This is a chance to get back in the SEC," Taylor told the News Sentinel.
He also cited working with new Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn a plus.
Taylor could receive an additional title at Auburn, according to a report in The Oklahoman.
Taylor spent four seasons with the Vols, coaching wide receivers and running backs before leaving for Oklahoma State after the 2007 season.
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
National Signing Day 2010
Tennessee Lady Vols 82, Auburn Tigers 64
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Comments » 88
surfmaster writes:
Same position he used to have at UT? Why all the lateral moves? More $$$?
SemperVol writes:
I can't believe we let him get away...
john#208876 writes:
Again, I'll ask the obvious question; How much is he being paid?
BigMikeUT writes:
Actually I think he was "co-offensive coordinator" at Okie State, so this almost seems like a step back. I'm guessing the money was right.
givehim6 writes:
I think Auburn just wants to beat bama, but it will look funny to see him chest bumping wearing blue, red & white.
volnbig11land writes:
WOW, coulda, woulda, shoulda....
Think of the possibilities had we gotten him and Garner. Oh well on second thought don't think about it.
budd#207344 writes:
They couldn't get Rodney Garner and they needed a coach that will ask for a raise every year.
Ironcity writes:
The Ok. St move must have not worked the way he expected it to. My guess is the OC job was in name only. Good luck coach I have always been impressed with your results and enthusiasm.
gbeejr#1354500 writes:
Up to this point it was hard to second guess any of CLK staff picks, however, with our need for a solid wide receiver coach who can also recruit, I can't figure why CLK didn't pursue Trooper Taylor. Oh well, CLK obviously knows what he's doing.
GreerVol22 writes:
aside from chest bumps and backwards hats and getting a crowd fired up, what did he actually do? Cutcliff still called the plays...my guess is not much or he would be either a OC somewhere... anywhere or even a HC at D2 or something...
HonoluluVol writes:
You could see it as building an impressive resume. He has proven that he can recruit every were he goes, and did a good job with UT's runing backs. So good that Fulmer put him in charge of the WR's to turn them around. Also, I'm sure it's more money, but Chizik needs someone to battle in the south for recruits and TT has a good network already established. He's young and still learning, and I think eventually he'll get the shot to become an OC at some point in time.
jsmithnga#207674 writes:
Garner was/is a great recruiter; when he left a recruit's house, he was ready to get in the car and ride back with him; however, I was never impressed with his coaching abilities so obviously he is wanted for recruiting--same thing with Trooper--better recruiter than coach. Now if these new coaches are the great recruiters that we have been led to believe, we need good coaches rather than more recruiters to bring out the talent in the players(which apparently we did not have this year).
jkleno#393970 writes:
what is the status of drayton?
budd#207344 writes:
I agree 1000%. Coaches not any more recruiters
HonoluluVol writes:
Do you know the reason that he wears his hat backwards or are you just being negative? As for being an OC, do you want to be an OC at like Podunk Univ, or soem where respectable? I don't think taking the Coordinator job is a good idea just to say hey I'm the head Coordinator. The time and fit has to be right. Maybe he fills he's not ready yet. Doesn't say he's a bad coach or that he can't recruit. About his coaching ability, he got our RB's doing a better job and actually cut down on fumbles believe it or not. They also improved in pass protection under him. Ainge was sacked less than 10 times. So, don't say he can't coach unless you have some facts. If you was a true fan maybe you'd know his role when he was with UT. Ouch!! That was the gauntlet dropping!!!
bluetick writes:
Probably because he had ties to UT when Fulmer was there would be my guess. Lane wants to make his own path but I'm with anybody who said we should have retained him in the first place. Good coach and great motivator! Hate to see him in the SEC not wearing orange and white.
TommyJack writes:
When the Sooners hand the Gators their azz, we will get about a 1 week break from them. Ole Miss azz whuppin was worth about 3 days as I recall.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Very possible. Bama987 surfaced briefly but left to contemplate Bama's last two outings.
Are Slade and Drayton both gone?
BigMix writes:
I don't ever recall seeing a gauntlet, drop. The lateral moves are puzzling to me as well.
bluetick writes:
I believe Drayton is still there and hope we retain him due to his Florida connection.
JBruce writes:
Apparently, he did not like it at Oklahoma St.
Most of the staff treated him like the new kid on the block.
He will have more respect with a brand new Auburn staff.
BreweryVol writes:
The OC job at OSU was not what not all it appeared. He was not allowed to call the plays.
BreweryVol writes:
He was also a good positions coach. The running backs and wide recievers both improved under his watch. He is still young and will be an OC or HC someday, somewhere. I believe that he was mislead by OSU....and that he made a mistake leaving UT as well. Had he stayed CLK would have kept him around for sure.
tennisvol writes:
Fulmer and Hamilton should have never let Trooper get away. What did UT get - Clawson and you saw the results.
The_the writes:
WDE!
BreweryVol writes:
He is young and ambitious. It was a mistake and I am sure he knows that now or he would not have taken the job at Auburn. He will learn from those mistakes and become and great coach in time.
TotalPackage1 writes:
I think every assistant coach coming to Auburn is lining themselves up for potentially replacing Chizik when Lowder finds out he is banking at Bryant Bank and has him removed from "active" employement...active being the key word as AU's ex coaches still on payroll $$$ rivals their "Active" payroll $$$.
cjraney writes:
Why does everyone worry so about coaches' raises? I expect a raise every year if I do a good job. It's not any different for football coaches, just a different job.
cjraney writes:
Wrong regarding Trooper. He may be a good recruiter, but every position he coached at UT showed marked improvement after he took over. Pay attention before you criticize.
bls8617#370509 writes:
I think the reason we couldn't land Garner is because CLK kept saying "Ok" and "Alright" after every sentence. Garner got irritated and said "I can promise you one thing,ok, I'm not going to listen to you talk for less than 600k, alright"
khelton657 writes:
Who says he was a "solid wide receiver coach" ? He was given zero consideration for our offensive coordinator at UT, was not encouraged to stay here. At Oklahoma State he was " Co-offensive coordinator"....like they say " if you have two then you don't have one". He wasn't an offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State and apparently things didn't go well there.
He was the king of belly bumping though...
pms151 writes:
Great observation about CLK's 'coachspeak'. But at least he hasn't said 'obviously' or 'working like heck' yet. He will get it right the longer he hangs around ET. Don't yens agree?
utmdm writes:
Wow, not many gators on give Drayton positives on this site.
bls8617#370509 writes:
Haha yeah anything is better than that. My friends and I just get a kick out of talking like CLK in ordinary day to day situations like "I am going to make this coffee, ok, and I will only accept the best coffee in the world, alright, its gonna take longer but its going to be professional style coffee, ok."
pms151 writes:
I've had a number of young grads work for me in the past doing the obvious working like heck thing about Fulmer. It's good to see you guys are carrying on the tradition. Go Vols!
jimr07 writes:
did it occur to you that trooper may not have wanted to return to tennessee?? just a thought
jimr07 writes:
there are ways to raise your iq. if you can get it up to about 40, it would be an improvement. fulmer is gone and will never return as head coach.
Down_The_Field writes:
You're right island boy! Every position he coached at UT improved. He coached RBs but didn't he also coach WRs and another position? It just seemed that every year that we stunk at an offensive position, they'd move Troop to coaching that position and it'd get better the following year.
I don't know why he hasn't been given the chance to be an OC. Hind sight tells us that we should have moved him to OC and not hired DC. I think we'd been better.....but then CPF would have kept his job...and....oh, no...let's not start this again.
jimr07 writes:
the bells are ringing. you said fulmer without your childish and immature foolmore comment. congratulations. you are finally growing up.
elbtenn#502977 writes:
Roger that!!
elbtenn#502977 writes:
Roll Tide!! Ha ha ha
pms151 writes:
I get the feeling that the coaching searches are not going the way they thought they would. Not everyone wants to coach with such high profile expectations. That said some very experienced guys are going to surface after the bowl games and NFL playoffs that have no fear and want to be a part of the legendary coaching staff that this is going to become. This is exactly what CLK and company are now expecting.
bwillard9#526602 writes:
maybe UT didn't want him back. How many of the great recruiting guru's(taylor) recruits flunked out of school,got kicked off the team, got arrested and were an embarassment to the school.As for coaching when he was running backs coach during the 5-6 season his running back(corey anderson)fumbled the go ahead touchdown against bama and believe that was the beginning of the Arian fumble era that year. The receivers did improve his two years as receivers coach, but how much of that was him or Cutcliffe's offensive system? The system is why Ainge didn't get sacked, not Taylor's coaching.wish him well at Auburn.
bls8617#370509 writes:
Why is it that after we hired our new OC, he seems to have fallen off the radar. Has he made any comments about his plans or anything like that? In fact, I don't know much about him other than he coached for the rams. Can anyone enlighten me about Chaney(sp)?
SemperVol writes:
Yes, it has occurred to me. And you're probably right. Which might explain why he's on the Plains of Alabama rather than the Hills of Knoxville.
Something chapped him about K-town, because apparently money is not our problem.
davemanthevolfan writes:
T was such a great WR coach that they forgot how to play the position in one off season. I know that the QBs weren't anything to write home about but the WRs sure ran some bad routes, and didn't make many big plays.
iowavol writes:
Are you saying that we should get coaches that don't ask for a raise every year? Or are you saying they have a bunch of coaches that won't ask for a raise every year? Do you ask or expect a raise every year? I manage a lot of people and not one of them expects no raise every year. Good Lord boy, inflation alone would mean you are actually making less each year without a raise.
SemperVol writes:
All I can add is that he groomed Drew Brees and Kyle Orton during his nine-years with Purdue. Held a top ten offense for 6 of those years.
While with the Rams (as a TE coach) his top two Tight Ends were injury-prone and will require surgery this offseason.
He used to be fat and now is slim. Wears glasses also. I reckon he'll coach Tight Ends and have the title of offensive coordinator. I'd suppose James Cregg will coach the offensive line. Lane will call the plays with Chaney I'm sure. Kiffin will probably coach the wide receivers... which is funny to me.
davemanthevolfan writes:
Do you mean the Clawson that is now a head coach? Funny, I didn't see ANYONE offer TT a HC or a OC job. Get off the magical love fest with these guys that dumped us once already.
bls8617#370509 writes:
Thanks for the info. Sounds like he knows what he's doing. It feels like September is just around the corner. GoVols
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