Troy Taylor has been hired as the University of Utah’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the school announced Monday morning.
SALT LAKE CITY—Troy Taylor has been hired as the University of Utah’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the school announced Monday morning. Taylor was the co-offensive coordinator, play caller and QBs coach at Eastern Washington in 2016, leading the most prolific passing offense in the FCS.
“I have watched Troy Taylor closely over the years when he was coaching innovative high school offenses in California and was eager to see how that translated to college coaching,” said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham in a statement. “He achieved the same results at Eastern Washington and we are fortunate that Troy was interested in bringing that style of offense here to Utah. Troy has trained a prolific number of record-setting quarterbacks in high school, at his academy and now in college.”
EWU averaged 401 passing yards per game in 2016, ranked second nationally in total offense per game (529.6 ypg), and scored 42.4 points per game for third nationally. The Eagles finished 12-2, losing to Youngstown State in the FCS semifinals.
Taylor played quarterback at Cal from 1986-1989, where he set the Bears’ all-time passing record (8,126 yds) before it was broken in 2015 by Jared Goff. He was drafted in 1990 in the 4th round (84th overall pick) by the New York Jets in the beginning of a two-year NFL playing career.
In his coaching career, Taylor is noted as a quarterback developer, most notably including coaching current Washington quarterback Jake Browning from fifth grade through his record-setting career at Folsom High School (CA). He coached former walk-on sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud to earn FCS Player of the Year from numerous publications, breaking the all-time single season record for passing yards (5,160 yards) and total offense (5,766 yards).
Taylor plans to implement a high-powered passing attack at Utah, which finished ninth in the Pac-12 conference in total passing yards in 2016 (2817 yards), 11th in 2015 (2340), and last in 2014 (2570).
“We will have an attacking style of offense that stretches the field and the defense in every way,” Taylor said in the press release. “Creating success for the quarterback will be our utmost priority. If your QB plays well, you have a great chance of winning. Therefore, the development of his fundamentals and skill set are vital. However, it is just as imperative to have an offensive system that is both dynamic and user friendly. That has been the driving force in my offensive philosophy and I am excited to bring this to the University of Utah.”
Taylor was the offensive coordinator at Sacramento’s Casa Roble HS for one season before coaching Colorado’s wide receivers in 1995, and the receivers, quarterbacks, and tight ends at California over a period of six seasons (1995-2000). He left Cal to become an assistant athletic director at Christian Brothers High School (2000-01) in Sacramento, where he also taught and was an assistant football coach for one season (2000).
Before coaching at Eastern Washington in 2016, Taylor spent seven years as a high school coach and teacher, including two stints (2002-04 and 2012-15) as the co-head coach at Folsom. Folsom went 58-3 from 2012-15, winning four Sac-Joaquin Section championships and the 2014 CIF State Division I title. He was also the color radio analyst for Cal from 2005-2011.
Whittingham also announced offensive line coach Jim Harding has also been named the Utes’ assistant head coach after serving two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator.
