Vols' players stuck playing waiting game

Rogers, others have concerns

By Drew Edwards
Originally published 10:06 p.m., December 17, 2007
Updated 11:29 p.m., December 17, 2007
Who will be Tennessee's next offensive coordinator?



For Tennessee’s Austin Rogers, the waiting just might be the hardest part.
Rogers and his fellow wide receivers spent much of Monday wondering about the future of their position coach as Trooper Taylor mulls an offer from Baylor to be its offensive coordinator.
Taylor is expected to make his decision in the next few days.
“It’s really tough,” said Rogers, UT’s second-leading receiver with 53 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns. “Trooper’s a great coach. He’s done a lot for us. We really do love him and wish he’d stay.
“But if he has a better situation for him wherever he may be, then he should take it if it’s better for him and his family.”
Taylor spent Sunday in his native Texas interviewing with Baylor, where he was a defensive back and began his coaching career.
On Monday, Taylor was back at practice in Tennessee, where he also is a candidate for the Vols’ offensive coordinator job.
Current coordinator David Cutcliffe will leave Tennessee following the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 to become Duke’s head coach.
Taylor likely would accept Baylor’s offer if Tennessee does not offer him its offensive coordinator job.
“That’s pretty much what he told us,” Rogers said Monday. “If he gets the coordinator job here, he probably will stay. If not, he might go. We’ll know soon.”
Taylor could not be reached for comment Monday, and UT coach Phillip Fulmer was mum when asked about Taylor following Monday’s practice.
According to Rogers, Taylor and Fulmer were set to talk Monday night about the situation.
“He told us he got offered by Baylor yesterday, and he’s going to sit down with (Fulmer) tonight and talk about what his future is here,” Rogers said.
Taylor, one of UT’s best recruiters and its highest-paid position coach, also is the Vols’ director of player development.
In that role, he’s grown close to several players, and not just wide receivers.
“He means everything to me in this program,” said tailback Arian Foster. “He’s the one that brought me here. He and (former offensive coordinator Randy) Sanders, but ultimately it was him that was the deciding factor in me coming here.”
Taylor has become a fan favorite, in part because of his energetic demeanor on the sidelines.
That energy is important, Foster said.
“He means a lot,” Foster said. “We have a very experienced coaching staff, and he brings a lot of youth and a lot of new-age ideas to it. His energy level out there is uncanny.”
If Taylor leaves, Tennessee would have to replace at least two of its five offensive coaches.
Tight ends coach Matt Luke and running backs coach Kurt Roper, both members of Cutcliffe’s staff at Ole Miss, could follow Cutcliffe to Duke.
Fulmer has begun searching for Cutcliffe’s replacement, but even that process comes with some angst for players.
“It’s really tough because it is all about our future,” Rogers said. “We don’t know who’s going to be here or if we’re going to like him.
“Some people are talking about transferring; some people are talking about doing other things. It’s our future that’s in these coaches’ hands. We wish the best for them, but it’s really our future.”
The one certainty in Tennessee’s future is that No. 18 Wisconsin awaits in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day.
But that doesn’t make the waiting — or the uncertainty — any easier.
“It is hard because we don’t know. If the coaches aren’t going to be here, you think of, ‘Do they really care about this game if they’re not going to be here?’ and stuff like that,” Rogers said. “It’s kind of a distraction to go out there and practice, but we’re doing the best we can because we really want a win over Wisconsin.”
Dave Hooker contributed to this report.
Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274