Lance Taylor hired as head football coach at Western Michigan
Louisville OC Lance Taylor has been hired as the new head football coach at Western Michigan, the school announced on Thursday. Taylor joined the Cardinals’ staff this year after spending three years overseeing the running game at Notre Dame.
“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,” AD Dan Bartholomae said in a statement. “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.”
Prior to Notre Dame, Taylor had stints working in the NFL with the Panthers and Jets and at both Stanford and Appalachian State. He coached RBs at Stanford and in Carolina, where he worked with and mentored All-American and All-Pro Christian McCaffery. He played at Alabama and later started his coaching career there as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban.
“I am humbled and honored for the opportunity to be the head football coach at Western Michigan University,” Taylor said. “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.”
WMU fired previous head coach Tim Lester last month after six seasons at the helm. The Broncos were 5-7 this season, but a year ago went 8-5 after a decisive victory over Nevada in the Quick Lane Bowl.
credit to Western Michigan Athletics for the image
