Baylor University eyes UT's Taylor
By Wes Rucker
Staff Writer
KNOXVILLE -- Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe was back in the University of Tennessee's indoor complex Sunday afternoon, wearing an orange cap and barking instructions to start his two-week swan song as the Volunteers' offensive coordinator.
UT wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor was absent, though, and his future wasn't as clear Sunday night.
Taylor -- also the Vols' assistant head coach for player development and a relentless recruiter -- was offered the offensive coordinator position at Baylor University on Sunday night, according to sources close to the situation.
Messages left for Taylor the past three days have not been returned, and he was not made available for interviews before UT's Saturday practice. He reportedly told Rivals.com Sunday night that he hadn't made a decision.
Before reports of the offer surfaced, UT coach Phillip Fulmer confirmed that Taylor would interview for the position but be "back and ready to go" today.
"It's no problem," Fulmer said.
Taylor is from Cuero, Texas. He was a Baylor player or coach from 1988-97 and married his wife, Evi, on the school's football field.
Being an offensive coordinator in the Big 12 conference would probably put Taylor one step closer to his ultimate goal of being a head coach -- or at least make him wealthier in the short-term.
Taylor's salary rose to $175,000 per year after a nearly $37,000 raise in July.
"When you have good people that do a good job, there are opportunities," Fulmer said. "That's certainly something that he professionally needed to look at."
Fulmer on Saturday said he had "very capable" offensive coordinator candidates on his staff, which could indicate Taylor and offensive line coach Greg Adkins have at least been considered.
Cutcliffe on Sunday night said he hadn't "offered anybody a job," but published reports have cited anonymous sources saying Vols assistants Kurt Roper and Matt Luke are going to Duke.
Running backs coach Roper and tight ends coach Luke were at practice Sunday but again were not made available to the media.
"There's a lot of speculation, is all that is," Cutcliffe said. "I've got to find out a lot of information from the administrative people at Duke. We've got to follow proper procedure.
"We haven't made any of those decisions ... We'll cross that here in a week or so, or in a couple of weeks."
Cutcliffe has coached at UT for 19 of the past 26 seasons, and he lived in Knoxville while sitting out the 2005 season. He received a loud ovation from players to close practice and laughed while taking a slap on the backside from Fulmer after speaking with reporters.
Three of Cutcliffe's four children are enrolled at UT -- sons Chris and Marcus are football managers -- and he said the trio will stay in Knoxville.
"(UT) is still going to get my check," he said.
Cutcliffe admitted feeling "a little awkward" Sunday.
"It feels funny leaving for the last time, is kind of how I feel," he said. "The Tennessee fans, the University of Tennessee, all the alumni, all of the players ... this is home for me, and it always will be.
"I thanked the players and the coaching staff for making me feel a part of this family again. Really, this was the most fun two years I've had in my career -- no offense to all the other players I've had all these years. These two teams have been special, particularly this team."
While the Outback Bowl will close Erik Ainge's college playing career, quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton, Nick Stephens and B.J. Coleman will have a new coordinator and position coach next season -- assuming all three stay at UT.
Fulmer said he spoke with his young quarterbacks Sunday, assuring them that he'd find a desirable replacement. Those words (and this hire) could be especially important to Stephens and McCallie School graduate Coleman, who came to Knoxville largely because of Cutcliffe.
"The younger guys may have a harder time with it sometimes than the older guys, but it's part of life's progressions," Fulmer said. "This opens a huge opportunity for us.
"We've had very good coaches here, and a lot of people are interested in this job."
Fulmer hasn't publicly commented on potential candidates to replace Cutcliffe, but he has reportedly contacted Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Kippy Brown and New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Doug Marrone, both former UT assistants.
E-mail Wes Rucker at wrucker@timesfreepress.com
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