SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sacramento State has announced that former Utah offensive coordinator Troy Taylor will be named their next head football coach.

We are excited to announce Troy Taylor as the 11th head football coach in Hornet history. #StingersUp https://t.co/IrlAplCIlj

— Sac State Football (@SacHornetsFB) December 17, 2018

Taylor spent the last two seasons with the University of Utah as their quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. He is a Sacramento native, that will take his first head coaching job in the college ranks of his career.

“After a thorough search, I am thrilled to select Troy Taylor to serve as the next head football coach of the Hornets,” Sacramento State Athletics Director Mark Orr said. “He’s an innovative play caller who’s had success at all levels of football. Troy is one of the best quarterbacks to come out of the Sacramento region and has become a nationally respected coach. I am excited to see him help take the program to new heights.”

Before coaching college football, Taylor was a fixture for high school football in the Sacramento area when he started coaching at Casa Roble High School in Sacramento.

Taylor then went to California and Colorado to coach in college before returning to high school football. In 2016, Taylor returned to college when he was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Washington for one season. He left in 2017 to be the offensive coordinator for Kyle Whittingham and the Utes.

“I am thrilled to be the new head football coach at Sacramento State,” Taylor said. “My family and I are excited to move back home and take on the challenge of building the Hornet Football program into something the city can be very proud. I want to thank President Nelsen, Mark Orr and the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity.”

In 2016, when Taylor wasn’t the offensive coordinator at Utah, the Utes averaged 24.6 points and 430.6 yards per game. When Taylor took over play-calling duties in 2017, Utah averaged 29.5 points and 413.3 yards per game. After a full season under Taylor, Utah averaged 28.6 points and 396 yards per game. Utah scored over 40 points five times including four straight games and over 30 points eight times.

“With the hiring of Troy Taylor, the Hornets have an offensive guru who, I believe, will take the football team to the playoffs and beyond in the passing-minded Big Sky Conference,” Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen said. “But, much more importantly, Coach Taylor will shape players who will be ready for life after football. He will live up to Sacramento State’s mission to ‘transform lives by preparing students for leadership, service, and success.’ Coach Taylor is the right coach at the right time, and he is here to win on and off the field.”

Taylor takes over Sacramento State after they finished the 2018 season with a 2-8 record and 0-7 in the Big Sky Conference. They fired head coach Jody Sears after five years with the Hornets on November 26.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham will look for his ninth offensive coordinator in the last 11 seasons.