Published: January 06, 2009 08:45 am         

Taylor departs OSU for Auburn

Wide receivers coach is third assistant to move

On Monday, Auburn University announced its second hire of a former Oklahoma State assistant. Following running back coach Curtis Luper to the SEC school, former OSU co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor left the Cowboys to join new Auburn head man Gene Chizik. Taylor was hired at OSU in December 2007 and becomes the third assistant coach to leave head coach Mike Gundy’s staff in the last month. Along with Luper and Taylor, former defensive coordinator Tim Beckman became Toledo’s head coach in early December. “They did a great job for us at Oklahoma State,” Gundy said in a statement. “They were instrumental in the continued development of our football program.” Taylor returns to the SEC where he coached at Tennessee for four years before joining the Cowboys’ staff. At Auburn, Taylor will become the team’s assistant head coach and wide receivers coach and will also receive a reported hefty pay increase. Both Taylor and Luper made $228,000 per year at OSU and Luper’s salary at Auburn is estimated at $400,000 a year. Gundy is away on recruiting trips, but will now have to deal with vacancies at three of his assistant coaching positions, including two coordinator openings. “We are moving forward to complete our staff — even as we speak,” Gundy said. “As everyone knows, this is a very exciting time to be at Oklahoma State. Our program has a lot of momentum and we will be looking to complete our staff with coaches who share the same goals we have set for ourselves.” Along with the departing coaches, Cowboys’ director of football operations Jimmy Gonzales is no longer with the Oklahoma State staff. Gonzales was with the team for the last four years.

     

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