"At the start of this process, we were searching for someone with relentless energy and the capacity to lift everyone around them to greater aspirational heights," said Bartholomae. "We also sought someone who had demonstrated championship success throughout his life and career.
Coach Taylor is quite simply one of the most impressive individuals I have had the pleasure to spend time with. He has won championships as an athlete and as a coach at all levels of our industry, including within two separate Power 5 Conferences. He has recruited and mentored Heisman finalists, and some of the NFL's finest. He has coached in NFL Conference Championship games. He has coached in New Years Six Bowl Games and in the College Football Playoff.
Most importantly, Coach Taylor is an inspirational leader with high integrity and shares my passion to lead the country in the holistic development of our student-athletes. Our vision aligned within minutes of conversation, and our future is in great hands."
Taylor, 41, arrives to Kalamazoo after spending the 2022 season as the offensive coordinator at the University of Louisville. Prior to his time with the Cardinals, Taylor spent three seasons as the running backs coach and run game coordinator at the University of Notre Dame, guiding the Fighting Irish to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2022 and a New Year's Six Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2021.
During those three seasons with the Irish, Taylor guided running back Kyren Williams to a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in 2020 and 2021. Williams rushed for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. As a redshirt freshman in 2020, he produced 1,125 yards and 13 scores to earn Freshman All-American accolades and was a finalist for Freshman of the Year.
"I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to be the head football coach at Western Michigan University," Taylor said. "I would like to thank President Montgomery and Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae for selecting me to lead this program.I believe in Dan's vision and mission of comprehensive excellence and the holistic development of our student-athletes. I will work relentlessly in helping our players be prepared and successful in the classroom and on the football field. We will play with great effort, intensity, and passion and WE WILL WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS! My family and I are excited to be part of Bronco Nation and the greater Kalamazoo community. We can't wait to get started."
Taylor had two coaching stints with the Carolina Panthers, where he coached Wide Receivers. In 2013 the Panthers finished 12-4, winning the NFC South.
In between his two coaching stops with the Carolina Panthers, Taylor coached running backs at Stanford, where he coached and mentored Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey and recruited a second Heisman runner-up in Bryce Love. McCaffrey and Love hold three of the top five rushing seasons in Stanford history. While with the Cardinal, Taylor won a Pac-12 Championship, a Rose Bowl and was named the 2015 FootballScoop.com Running Backs Coach of the Year.
Taylor spent the 2010 – 2012 seasons with the New York Jets as an offensive quality control coach and assistant tight ends coach. During the 2010 season, the Jets won their wild card game and
divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots and appeared in the AFC Championship game.
In 2009, he coached wide receivers at Appalachian State, where under his guidance the Mountaineers set school records with 284 receptions and 3,621 receiving yards. The team finished 11-3, won the Southern Conference title and advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban at his alma mater, Alabama, from 2007-08.
A walk-on at Alabama before earning a scholarship, Taylor played in 38 consecutive games at wide receiver from 1999-2003 for the Crimson Tide. As a senior, he served as a special team's captain for (then) coach Mike Shula.
Taylor played professionally for the Colorado Crush and Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League, and AF2's Green Bay Blizzard and Louisville Fire from 2004-06.
Taylor graduated from Alabama in 2003 with a degree in management. Taylor's father, James, also attended Alabama and played running back under legendary head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.