GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University has named Billy Taylor as its head football coach announced Josh Ealy, Director of Athletics.
Taylor becomes the 17th head football coach at Tennessee's most historic university and takes over for Jerry Odom who stepped down after eight seasons at the Greeneville, Tennessee school.
Taylor is no stranger to the area and comes to Tusculum after serving the last nine seasons at NCAA Division I East Tennessee State University where he was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator. He also served as ETSU's defensive coordinator during the 2002 and 2003 campaigns before the sport was discontinued at the Johnson City school.
The Morristown, Tennessee native is a veteran college coach with over 35 years of D-I experience, including 22 as a defensive coordinator along with 17 seasons as a recruiting coordinator.
"I am thrilled to welcome Billy to the Tusculum family. Coach Taylor has a proven track record of winning football at multiple programs during his career," said Ealy. "He is a man of high character and faith which makes him a perfect mission fit for not only our athletic department, but also Tusculum University. Being an East Tennessee native, Billy has strong recruiting and community relationships throughout the region. I can't wait for Pioneer Nation to meet Billy Taylor!"
"I am super excited and anxious to get to work! Getting to meet President (Scott) Hummel and Josh Ealy during the interview process, it's easy to see that both are wanting to have a football program that is built on changing young men's lives, while excelling in the classroom and on the field," said Taylor. "I see us all working together to have a program that brings pride to Tusculum University, the student body, the alumni and the Tusculum community. Being from Morristown and spending most of my adult life in East Tennessee, I have been aware of the tremendous impact that Tusculum has had on our region. I'm honored to now be among the Pioneer family."
In 2021, ETSU posted an 11-2 record, won the Southern Conference Championship and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA-FCS Playoffs. The Buccaneers led the SoCon in takeaways including league-best 15 interceptions. ETSU was also tops in the conference in red zone defense while also finishing second in the league in scoring defense (22.7 ppg), rushing defense, sacks (22), third down conversion defense (38%), and fourth down conversion defense (46%).
The 2018 club went 8-4 and won its first conference title in 50 years. Taylor's defense led the league in yards per play allowed, pass efficiency defense, turnovers gained and sacks. The Bucs finished second in the conference in total defense and rushing defense. His defense also finished nationally ranked in seven categories including eighth in tackles for loss, 20th in sacks, 23rd in rushing defense, 22nd in pass efficiency defense, 22nd in yards per play allowed, 22nd in pass efficiency defense, 23rd in interceptions and 23rd in turnovers gained.
The 2019 defense finished second in the SoCon in yards per play allowed, second in pass defense, third in scoring defense and third in total defense.
The 2021 COVID shortened spring campaign saw the Bucs go 4-2 as ETSU led the league in scoring defense (18.8 ppg), rushing defense (114.5 ypg), yards per carry allowed, while placing second in the conference in total defense and pass efficiency defense.
"On the field we want to build a team that works every day to win championships as the goal. Both in the South Atlantic Conference and ultimately a national championship," Taylor added. As a coaching staff, we want to be difference makers in the lives of the young men that we work with day-to-day, instilling work ethic and a commitment to excellence that will carry over to all aspects of their lives, on the field, in the classroom and in their daily spiritual walk. We want Pioneer Nation to know that we are going to build a program that they will be proud of and that they want to be a part of. We want to be civic-minded and be a vital part of our community."
Prior to his return to ETSU in 2013, Taylor served five seasons (2008-2013) on the coaching staff at Tennessee Tech. During his five years in Cookeville, Taylor's 2011 defense ranked first in the Ohio Valley Conference in total defense and rushing defense while finishing second in scoring defense. The 2012 Golden Eagles ranked second in pass efficiency defense, third in interceptions and fourth in pass defense. In 2010, the Golden Eagles were tops in the OVC in turnover margin and a season later, finished second in the conference in interceptions and turnover margin as Tech won the league championship, its first league title in 36 years.
From 2005-2008, he served as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at Chattanooga. He took over one of the nation's worst defenses and improved the team's scoring defense by 17.3 points per game in 2005. In 2007, the UTC defense led the Southern Conference in yards per play allowed, pass defense, turnovers gained and sacks.
Prior to his time at UTC, he served the 2004 campaign at Elon University where he was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach as the Phoenix finished second in the SoCon with 25 total takeaways.
From 1991-1996, he served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Wofford College. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach Southern Mississippi for the 1989 and 1990 seasons.
Taylor earned a degree in mass communications from ETSU in 1988 and was a three-year starter as an outside linebacker for the Bucs and was voted team captain his senior year in 1987.
In 2015, he was inducted to the Morristown West High School Hall of Fame.
He is married to the former Kristine Renz of Easley, South Carolina, and the couple has two daughters, Mikaelah and McKenzie.
Coach Taylor is very grateful for this opportunity and to those who played an important part of his professional and personal journey. "I want to thank my mom and dad, who are no longer here physically but that I strive every day to be a reflection of their love and guidance that shaped me into who I am. My wife Kristine has been the difference maker in my life. She's a champion every day! My daughters are my biggest supporters and defenders. They are beautiful young ladies inside and out. The players and coaches that I had the privilege to work with over the 35 years that I've been in this profession who are family to me and that make this more of a way of life than a job. And of course God the Father from where all blessings flow."
A formal press conference to introduce Coach Taylor is scheduled for January 4, 2024 on the Greeneville campus. Time and location will be announced later.
