Taylor named assistant head coach

On its way back from an extended stay in Stillwater, Okla., an Auburn University jet returned to Auburn on Monday afternoon without Trooper Taylor — just two pilots.

A foreboding sign it was not, as Taylor was officially named Auburn’s new assistant head coach and wide receivers coach hours later.

“This is a great opportunity to join Coach Chizik at Auburn and be a part of a dynamic offensive staff that he has put together,” Taylor said in a university statement. “I’m excited to be coaching at a program like Auburn and return to the Southeastern Conference.”

Taylor is the second defector from Oklahoma State and the fifth coach overall to join Gene Chizik’s staff.

Four spots remain, including the defensive coordinator position. Presumably, Auburn has just an offensive line coach to hire on the offensive side.

James Willis, who was the only coach retained from Tommy Tuberville’s staff, is the only defensive assistant to be hired and has yet to have his position defined.

Taylor is considered one of the nation’s top recruiters and was a hot commodity among major schools before coming to an agreement with Auburn. The two-time Rivals’ Top 25 recruiter was reportedly being courted by Tennessee and Florida and was a candidate for the open offensive coordinator position at the University of Miami.

“Trooper is an outstanding wide receivers coach and has had a long line of players that have flourished under his direction,” Chizik said. “He’s been successful at every stop as a coach, has a strong knowledge of the Southeastern Conference and is a tremendous recruiter.”

Taylor, 38, spent just one season at Oklahoma State as the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator. The Cowboys ranked sixth in the nation in total offense this season. OSU wide receiver Dez Bryant led the Big 12 in receiving yards, was a first-team All-American and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

Previously, Taylor spent four years at Tennessee, where he established himself as one of the top recruiters in the nation. He picked up the Rivals’ award in 2005 and 2007, when the Volunteers had the fourth- and third-best recruiting classes, respectively, in the nation, according to Rivals.com.

As a player at Baylor, Taylor played defensive back from 1988-91 and went on to establish school records in total kickoff returns and kickoff return yardage. He was a graduate assistant for one season with the Bears before spending three seasons as a full-time wide receivers and secondary coach.

Taylor spent four seasons at Tulane as the Green Wave’s wide receivers coach before taking the job at Tennessee.

Taylor flew into Auburn on Sunday along with new running backs coach Curtis Luper, who was already an official member of Chizik’s staff and also coached at Oklahoma State. Taylor introduced himself to the reporters on site, but did not offer any comments on the record before
Chizik arrived to take the pair back to the Auburn Athletic Complex.

The same jet traveled to Mobile on Sunday evening, returned to Auburn then went back to Stillwater, landing shortly after midnight Monday.

New Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is currently in Mobile, where he will coach his final game as Tulsa’s co-offensive coordinator in tonight’s GMAC Bowl.

Taylor grew up in Cuero, Texas and is one of 16 kids. He and his wife, Evi, have a son, Blaise, and a daughter, Starr.

“He’s a great family man,” Luper said. “He’s a phenomenal story.”

Special teams and more ...
Jay Boulware, who was named Auburn’s special teams coordinator Sunday, will also coach tight ends.

Boulware last coached tight ends from 2005-06 at Utah. He was also a tight ends coach at Arizona in 2001 and Northern Illinois in 1997.

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