What to know about T.C. Taylor, a candidate to be Jackson State football's new coach

Maxwell Donaldson, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·2 min read
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Jackson State football is close to hiring former Tiger standout T.C. Taylor as the replacement to Deion Sanders per a report from FootballScoop.

Sanders personally recommended Taylor after he took the Colorado job earlier this month. Sanders is in his third season coaching the Tigers, with Taylor being on staff as the receiver coach. Taylor played for the Tigers from 1998-2001.

Sanders went 27-5 in three seasons including a 19-2 record in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. He led the Tigers to two SWAC championships and has the Tigers (12-0, 8-0) in the Celebration Bowl versus North Carolina Central on December 17 at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.

Here is what to know about Taylor:

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Taylor played for the Tigers

Taylor is a native of McComb, Mississippi played both quarterback and receiver for Jackson State from 1998-2001. He started his career as a quarterback, for 2 1/2 seasons before switching over to wide receiver.

As a senior he caught 84 receptions for 1,234 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to NCAA Division 1-AA third-team All-American honors while earning first-team Black College All-American honors. He was the runner-up for the 2001 Conerly Trophy, presented to Mississippi's top college football player, behind Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning.

Multiple coaching stops, around the south

Former Jackson State quarterback and wide receiver T.C. Taylor returns to the school as a quarterbacks coach after a four-year stint at North Carolina Central.
Former Jackson State quarterback and wide receiver T.C. Taylor returns to the school as a quarterbacks coach after a four-year stint at North Carolina Central.

He started his career as the quarterbacks and wide receiver coach at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale staying there from 2005-11, with six seasons as offensive coordinator as well.

He has made stops at Texas Southern as a receivers coach in 2012-13 before going to North Carolina Central to be the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 2014-2018 before going back to Jackson State.

Pro career in NFL/ Europe

After his college career ended, Taylor signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots, he spent almost two months as a member of the practice squad. He moved over to NFL Europe with the defending champions Frankfurt Galaxy before spending training camp with the Detroit Lions where an injury ended his playing career.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What to know about new Jackson State football coach TC Taylor