Cal Football: Is Troy Taylor a Realistic Possibility as Bears' Next Offensive Coordinator?
When the news broke that Cal had fired offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, I’m guessing every Old Blue had the same thought about his potential replacement.
Admit it, you went immediately to Sacramento State coach Troy Taylor as the best candidate to fill the position.
Taylor, 54, would be a wonderful choice and Justin Wilcox would be foolish not to make a call to him.
Troy Taylor on the sidelines for Sacramento State at Cal last season.
Photo by Darren Yamashita, USA Today
There is no doubting Taylor’s fondness for his alma mater, as you can tell from his remarks in an interview we did last season before Cal played Sac State.
“There’s not a place that’s more special to be than Berkeley. I love the place. It’s a big part of my life,” Taylor says in the video at the top of this story. “It kind of shaped the person I am in terms of being challenged academically and athletically.
“Yeah, I would have liked to have won a Rose Bowl — that was really my only goal in going there. Obviously, we did not do that, but still great memories and a very special place to me.”
The question is whether Taylor would be willing to return to Berkeley for this assignment and strive to win a Rose Bowl while running the offense. Whether he’d rather be a coordinator at an FBS program than a head coach at an FCS school.
He sort of answered that question four years ago when he left Utah after two seasons as OC to become the head coach in his home town at Sac State.
To get that job he took a pay cut of more than $300,000 to sign a seven-year deal worth $242,000 per season, plus performance bonuses.
Taylor’s name is sure to emerge over and over in the coming months as a potential candidate for FBS head coaching jobs that come open.
The Sacramento Bee asked Taylor about that last week — before Cal cut ties with Musgrave and offensive line coach Angus McClure — and he was pretty definitive.
“I have no intention of leaving here,” he told the newspaper. “I’m having a great time. I love where we live. I love our football program, love our players, our coaches.”
To suggest that Taylor has done a nice job is grossly underselling his performance.
The Hornets are 10-0 this year, averaging 43 points a game and ranked No. 2 in the current FCS national rankings. Five coaches voted them No. 1. They close out their regular season Saturday against rival UC Davis and are a sure thing to land a playoff spot.
In three seasons under the former Cal quarterback, Sac State is 28-7. The Hornets were 9-3 a year ago, including a 42-30 loss at Cal and a 24-19 defeat to South Dakota State in the opening round of the FCS playoffs.
So, absolutely, he is an attractive coach.
His comments to the Sacramento Bee make it clear he’s not looking to get out.
Does that rule out any possibility Taylor could be coaxed to a new job? Of course not. After all, how else could be answer that question?
His willingness to take less money four years ago to run his own program suggests that’s what he wants to be — a head coach.
In spite of all that, Cal should definitely reach out to Taylor.
Would he say yes? I don’t know for sure, but I’d be surprised.
Pleasantly surprised.
Cover photo of Troy Taylor courtesy of Sacramento State Athletics
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
