Troy Taylor hired as Sac State's new Head Coach

[ThunderRam]

Posting this news here since it has ties to NorCal HS football.

http://www.hornetsports.com/sports/fball/2018-19/releases/20181217l02pyo

IMO, this is a fantastic signing for the Hornets program. Hopefully Coach Taylor can find a way to lift the program from the shadows and seemingly eternal lethargy.

Back when Sperbeck was let go, I suggested Taylor's name on a Sac State message board thinking the time to make a run at a talent like him was before he became an NCAA commodity. But now it's even a better signing since he's bringing along 3 years of OC experience at the FCS/FBS levels.

I think Coach Taylor deserves a lot of credit and praise for taking on this challenge. He's not only taking what's likely to be a drastic pay cut, but it could hurt his career path if it doesn't work out. Had he stayed put at Utah, he likely would have received an FBS offer within a few years. If he's not able to improve the Hornets, it will likely set him back a while.

I'm guessing the allure of trying to wake a sleeping giant program in his hometown spoke louder to him than an FBS gig at a smaller school. Who knows. But it should be exciting to see what he can do there.

As a fan of Sac area football and long wanting to see Sac State succeed, I'd like to thank him for giving them a chance. Not many thought he'd take the paycut and the job.

 

[ThunderRam]

I wonder if Taylor might hire Bobby Fresques for QB coach or even OC? It's possible Folsom's current staff could be affected by this move.

 

[SmoothJay]

Interesting move. He's taking a big pay cut.

 

[aztecpadre]

Interesting move. He's taking a big pay cut.

How much?

 

[bella123]

Good coach, but going to be tough sledding there. Wish him well.

 

[ThunderRam]

Good coach, but going to be tough sledding there. Wish him well.

Hence the risk I spoke about. I give Taylor a lot of credit going this route when he have stayed put while earning more $$ and likely landing an FBS HC gig sooner.

To me this says a lot about Coach Taylor. Some things are more important than $$ and if he is able to make an impact at Sac State, it will speak louder. I appreciate that mindset and the risk that comes along with it.

 

[ThunderRam]

How much?

I haven't seen the new contract figure published anywhere, but there's this:

The surprising element of Taylor’s move is it likely involves taking a major pay cut. He earned $525,000 (plus an $87,500 bonus) at Utah, far above the salary scale for an average FBS head coach, and Sacramento State is not among the Big Sky Conference’s top-funded programs.
https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2018/12/17/report-utah-offensive/

I believe former Sac State HC Jody Sears was earning 'around' 200K per season. The rumors I've been reading the past week stated that AD Mark Orr and President Robert S. Nelsen might have been able to offer upwards of 300K. The tweet above seems to indicate that it was an 'attractive' offer. But it surely couldn't have been real close to the 600K+ Taylor earned at Utah. And that kind of $$ goes further in Utah than it does here.

 

[Kickingtee18]

You don't turn your back on a $600k salary if things are going well, so probably was time to find something else.

 

[RidgeRider]

To me, this is a big hire for Sac St. Well done by the Hornets.

 

[The Heat Miser]

Good hire, hope he does well! Interesting thing about this, does he bring Kris Richardson and Fresques with him? Just a thought.

 

[townbiz24]

HUGE changes coming for Folsom HS coaching staff..

 

[awood1]

Good hire, hope he does well! Interesting thing about this, does he bring Kris Richardson and Fresques with him? Just a thought.

Interesting idea in that it would put Richardson (Kooper @ UCDavis) against Richardson (Kris @ SacState) in their biggest rivalry game!

Talk about a house divided! HAHA

 

[MaoliFighter]

Brilliant coach. Great hire.

 

[The Heat Miser]

Im starting to hear more and more that Richardson and Fresques are on the move to Sac State. Crazy!

 

[mrbig864]

I haven't seen the new contract figure published anywhere, but there's this:

View embedded media

I believe former Sac State HC Jody Sears was earning 'around' 200K per season. The rumors I've been reading the past week stated that AD Mark Orr and President Robert S. Nelsen might have been able to offer upwards of 300K. The tweet above seems to indicate that it was an 'attractive' offer. But it surely couldn't have been real close to the 600K+ Taylor earned at Utah. And that kind of $$ goes further in Utah than it does here.

All true, but Taylor had taken pay cuts in the past to further his career. plus, the Sac State deal Is 7 Years....so likely near $2M guaranteed. And if your a guy who wants to be ‘in charge’, a Head Coaching gig in ones hometown, with an AD that he is friends with....well that’s kinda enticing

I think he’s a great hire for the Hornets

 

[ThunderRam]

All true, but Taylor had taken pay cuts in the past to further his career. plus, the Sac State deal Is 7 Years....so likely near $2M guaranteed. And if your a guy who wants to be ‘in charge’, a Head Coaching gig in ones hometown, with an AD that he is friends with....well that’s kinda enticing

I think he’s a great hire for the Hornets

Yeah, I heard about the 7 year deal today. IMO, the best part about it is that if he's successful in turning the program around, he's not leaving for greener pastures anytime soon (unless there's an opt out we don't know about).

I think it's a home run hire for Sac State. I'm really excited to see how Elijah Dotson fits into his system. Zack Moss was a 1K rusher the past 2 seasons in Taylor's offense. Dotson was already a monster for a 2-8 team. And the Hornets have a pretty good dual threat QB returning as a 5th year Senior.

 

[Kickingtee18]

Taylor had taken pay cuts in the past to further his career. plus, the Sac State deal Is 7 Years....so likely near $2M guaranteed

??? He took a pay increase from Folsom to EWU, then another from EWU to Utah. Prior to EWU he was in the high school ranks for 15 years. Truth is he was the 9th OC in 11 years at Utah. He was on his way out, he's fortunate Sac State became available. Can Sac State deliver for him? Right now its like asking Kyle Busch to be the Nascar Cup champion driving an AMC Gremlin.

 

[Streak One]

Outside looking in, I think the allure of coming back home and running a program would be pretty enticing for Taylor. It’s a pay decrease but the 7 years helps offset that some.

This is a great hire and something Sac State desperately needed with Davis taking off under Hawkins.

Interesting note by Joe Davidson yesterday that the Sac State roster doesn’t have a Folsom player on it.

 

[thehookup55]

Great hire for Sac. I’m assuming being back in the Sacramento area was something that was attractive to Coach Taylor. Or he thinks producing a winner at Sac will lead to a better HC job in the future. I’d much rather be the OC of a program like Utah than the HC of a FCS program. I’m sure he has his reasons.

 

[Kickingtee18]

It’s a pay decrease but the 7 years helps offset that some.

New math! How does 7 years at 1/3 his current salary help offset a pay decrease? No way it is enough to step away from an OC job paying $670K/year. And what is the allure of being a head coach at Sac State? It isn't allure, Taylor needed a job and Sac State became available to a guy who has no college head coaching experience. The real question is what will Sac State do differently to support their guy?

 

[MaoliFighter]

New math! How does 7 years at 1/3 his current salary help offset a pay decrease? No way it is enough to step away from an OC job paying $670K/year. And what is the allure of being a head coach at Sac State? It isn't allure, Taylor needed a job and Sac State became available to a guy who has no college head coaching experience. The real question is what will Sac State do differently to support their guy?

You are claiming he was going to be let go @ Utah?
They looked pretty sharp the game I went against Stanford & did pretty well overall.

 

[larry legend33]

He was going to be let go? haahhhahaa. Utah is 9-4 playing on December 31st in the Holiday bowl. He was going nowhere.

Have you ever been too Utah? If you aren't LDS you might as well not speak the language or know the culture. Huge difference for non mormons. I'm assuming Taylor isn't LDS. Sometimes its not about the money.

 

[WWHS44]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-...1Woghf-0m88MHzGRJO0KnE0w8sePkaxafIVM8IUSfertc

Taylor article

 

[Kickingtee18]

Utah is 9-4 playing on December 31st in the Holiday bowl. He was going nowhere.

Based on the article courtesy WWHS44, you were correct -- Taylor was going nowhere....at Utah. The real question is can anyone, including Taylor, save Sac State from itself?

 

[larry legend33]

If he gets them to a consistent .500+ level team I think that is a big achievement. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets them to that level within a couple years. You can sell recruits on some level of consistency now in the coaching ranks. But a UCD type success seems like a stretch to me. UCD was very close to being in that National Champ game. Eastern Wash smoked Maine last week.

I'm certainly pulling for him.

 

[thehookup55]

Coach Taylor just needs to hire whoever does all the recruiting for Folsom lol

 

[Kickingtee18]

If he gets them to a consistent .500+ level team I think that is a big achievement.

Big is right. Since 1954, only one coach in 11 has had a better than .500 record (Mattos). If Taylor can get them above .500, he should immediately step down LOL.

whoever does all the recruiting for Folsom

Great idea, Hornets will not lose a game unless they play De La Salle!!

 

[ThunderRam]

But a UCD type success seems like a stretch to me. UCD was very close to being in that National Champ game.

Where was UCD just last season? Worse than Sac State.

I don't get where you're coming from.

 

[ThunderRam]

Coach Taylor just needs to hire whoever does all the recruiting for Folsom lol

Ok, that was pretty funny.

 

[ThunderRam]

He was going to be let go? haahhhahaa. Utah is 9-4 playing on December 31st in the Holiday bowl. He was going nowhere.

Yeah, I've been reading a lot of speculation about that. I think it's just sour grapes from some that are upset Utah hasn't had any stability at that position. Something like 9 OC's in 11 years. Many of the Utes fans I've read online believe there's no merit to the rumor. They've been trashing the local hack that wrote it.

 

[ThunderRam]

Interesting note by Joe Davidson yesterday that the Sac State roster doesn’t have a Folsom player on it.

That's not totally surprising. Most of Folsom's best players are landing at P5 FBS schools. But the Hornets have tried recruiting more than a few of them. Dano Graves came pretty close to landing there in 2010.

 

[Streak One]

That's not totally surprising. Most of Folsom's best players are landing at P5 FBS schools. But the Hornets have tried recruiting more than a few of them. Dano Graves came pretty close to landing there in 2010.

I think its more of a coincidence but interesting. Davis landed Richardson and I think San Diego has done well with the program.

 

[Kickingtee18]

I think it's just sour grapes from some that are upset Utah hasn't had any stability at that position. Something like 9 OC's in 11 years.

9 OCs in 11 years means there is an issue and zero continuity. Red flag warning. Taylor knew he wasn't going to last.

I think its more of a coincidence but interesting.

Agreed. Another question is how much NorCal talent have they lost/past on.

 

[MJ2014]

Great hire for Sac State. Quality coach with local ties.

 

[Benchdawg]

I agree. Looking forward to seeing Sac State progress . But looking back at Utah, the coach who needs to be fired is Whittingham. Can't expect to have any offensive consistency when you fire your OC every other year. Heck the OC's will never be able to recruit and fit kids into their offense because they won't be around long enough.