Published: August 06, 2008 04:34 pm         

Cowboys welcome new family member

Since Trooper Taylor has been on the Oklahoma State football staff, he has proven himself a family man — not only to his own, but also to his team and co-workers.

He has known coach Mike Gundy since their time on staff together at Baylor in 1996. Also, their bonds are tighter because their sons are the same age and their wives are good friends.

Taylor said he has enjoyed Gundy, not only as a boss, but also as a friend and mentor.

"I think Gundy has done a great job of surrounding himself with good people, good quality coaches from different backgrounds and ages, so it makes the mesh all that much better," Taylor said. "I tell him we're like Baskin Robins. We got 31 different flavors."

Gundy said it's important that their wives are so close.

"We've spent a lot of time together as a staff for support and cohesiveness, but the wives also have to be close because they're in it like we are as coaches," he said. "They live it just like we do and our children do, and it's important to have a close-knit group.

"Trooper and Evi are very good people, and to have their family here is really good for us. And to have a prior relationship makes it easier as a head coach because it helps kind of mainstream everybody as a group."

In addition to Taylor's commitment in family, he said his faith is a big part of his life.

"I don't ever apologize for being a Christian," he said. "I don't try to force-feed it down anybody's throat, but I let them know on the front end that that's important to me.

"Do I have flaws? Yes, but if you're going to be at my house and you're going to be around my kids and you're going to be around my family, then you're going to be part of my family. And a family that prays together stays together."

Taylor said he recognizes the touchy subject of separating Church and State, but he doesn't hesitate to show that part of his life.

"I know I'm at a public university, that you're not supposed to pray and do those things," he said. "For me though, I'm not going to have a group around me that I can't be comfortable with and they can't be comfortable with me."

Taylor said his duty to the players extends beyond simply that of a coach.

"I think it's my job to not only make them better players, but better men before they leave here because they're going to represent me for the next 40 years, not just the next four," he said. "So I try to make sure they understand that."

And it seems that they do.

"We pray, I ask who wants to pray, and boom: Somebody gets on in there," he said. "But it's never a hesitation, never a big deal, and they're all about it. I tell them, 'You don't have to do it, you really don't, and it's not going to affect your playing time. But would I like you to learn those Christian values? Oh, yes, definitely.' I think if you plant that seed it'll grow."

Taylor said his time at OSU has been great so far.

"Obviously we haven't played a game yet, so it's all been fun, being able to go on the caravans and meet all the Oklahoma State fans — there are some pretty important people that are Cowboys," he said.

Taylor added that compared to other schools' fans, Cowboys are in a league of their own.

"A lot of fans, intelligent-wise, think they know the game," he said. "And you go by the questions that are asked to you, and a lot of the Oklahoma State fans I've talked to have asked quality football questions and are sincere and passionate about the game and about this team, so that makes a difference."

Taylor joined the staff in early January as a co-offensive coordinator and wide receiver coach to replace former offensive coordinator Larry Fedora.

Taylor graduated from Baylor in 1992. The defensive back was the school's leader in kickoff return yardage (1,063) and returns (53).

He coached running backs at New Mexico in 1998 before serving as the receivers coach at Tulane from 1999-2003.

He then went to Tennessee, where he coached running backs for two years before being named to the player development/wide receivers position in 2005.

The Cuero, Texas, native was born Feb. 20, 1970. He is married to the former Evi Crosby, a track and field competitor at Baylor, and the pair have two children — son Blaise, and daughter Starr.

     

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