The Stanford Cardinal have found their new head football coach. Former Sacramento State head coach Troy Taylor is set to take over following his team’s 66-63 loss on Saturday to Incarnate Word in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. The Hornets finished the season 12-1.
“I am thrilled to be the new head football coach at Stanford University,” Taylor said in a statement. “The opportunity to lead the finest student-athletes in the country is truly a dream come true, and I would like to thank President Tessier-Lavigne, Provost Drell and Bernard Muir. I believe that Stanford Football is perfectly positioned to become champions on the football field while maintaining our world-class reputation for academic excellence.”
In three seasons with Sacramento State, Taylor posted a 30-8 record and lost just one Big Sky conference game. Taylor, 54, is a two-time Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year (2019, ’21) won the 2019 Eddie Robinson Award as FCS coach of the year, and is a finalist again this year.
Taylor will take over a Stanford team that has struggled over the past few years. The Cardinal posted a meager 14-28 record in the last four seasons.
“I am excited to welcome Troy and his family to Stanford,” director of athletics Bernard Muir said in a statement. “Troy is a proven winner who has experienced success at many levels of football. Throughout our visits together he demonstrated an understanding of what makes Stanford special, and a deep desire to capitalize on our unique strengths. He possesses an incredible football mind and has a long history of caring deeply for the student-athletes he leads. I am excited for the next chapter of Cardinal football and eager for our student-athletes to experience Troy’s passion, wisdom and leadership.”
Before coming to Sacramento State, Taylor was Utah’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for two seasons. In 2016, Taylor was Eastern Washington’s co-offensive coordinator. He also spent time at Cal and Colorado as a coach and graduate assistant.
Former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was on the search committee that helped pick Taylor as head coach. “Coach Taylor’s energy and passion for football are infectious,” Luck remarked. “He is a proven winner who loves coaching and developing his players on and off the field. His football acumen and ingenuity are impressive, and I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes at Stanford.”
Taylor is a good hire for Stanford as his innovative offensive schemes will hopefully provide a spark to the Cardinal offense. That being said, who Taylor chooses for his defensive coordinator will be a pivotal hire to ensure the program turns itself around in a timely fashion.
-LaMarr Fields
Twitter: @raiderway83
Photo: Royalbroil. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.