Florida A&M football coaching staff nearing completion

Photo: FAMU Head Football Coach Joe Taylor

Compiled by beepbeep

Florida A&M University head football coach Joe Taylor is making progess in assembling an excellent staff of assistant coaches that will get the Rattlers back to being a national powerhouse program. Taylor was hired by FAMU on December 31, 2007, and vowed to return the one-time powerhouse among historically black colleges to its former glory.

The staff is shaping up as follows with five hires so far.

Head Coach - Joe Taylor

1. Offensive Coordinator/Offensive line - Lawrence Kershaw
2. Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers - Steven Jerry
3. Running backs - Aaron Taylor
4. Defensive line - George M. Small
5. Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator - Timothy Edwards

A brief synopsis of the assistant coaches experiences are as follows:

Photo: FAMU Linebackers Coach /Recruiting Coordinator, Tim Edwards

Coach Timothy Edwards served five years as Hampton University defensive line and recruiting coordinator, helping the Pirates to win three consecutive MEAC championships, three NCAA FCS playoff appearances and two black college national championships in 2004 and 2005.

He spent one season with AFL2 Carolina Rhinos as the defensive coordinator and Pearl River Community College defensive line coach. Prior, he spent four years at Kentucky State University, serving as position coach for LB, DL and pro liaison during his tenure.

His days on the sidelines have helped to develop the professional careers of several former players including: Cletidus Hunt (Green Bay Packers, NFL), Kitwana Jones (Saskatchewan Rough Riders, CFL), Dewayne Woods (Georgia Force, AFL) and Chris Avery (Grand Rapids Storm, AFL). In addition, Edwards has coached two All-Americans in Hunt at Kentucky State, and linebacker Kitwana Jones at Hampton.

Since Edwards arrived, the Hampton University defense has been ranked in the top ten in several defensive categories. As the linebackers coach in 2003, he helped the HU defense finish the season ranked seventh in the nation in total defense. Edwards then moved on to coach the defensive front in 2004 and the defense led the nation in turnovers (43) as well as finishing second in turnover margin. With another strong defensive front in 2005 Hampton ranked second in scoring defense and sixth in total defense. Last season he directed a defensive line that featured two All-MEAC selections that helped the Pirates rank second in the country in tackles for loss with 8.54 per game.

A 1991 graduate of Delta State University where he earned a bachelors degree in Aviation Management, Edwards was a two-time First Team All-Gulf South selection as a defensive lineman. He was also honored as an All-American by the Football Gazette (1989, 1990) and by the Associated Press (1990).

At the conclusion of his senior season Edwards participated in the Blue-Gray All-Star Game as well as the Senior Bowl and as a result of his performance, he was selected in the 12th round of the 1991 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. Edwards played three seasons with the Patriots before signing a free agent contract in 1995 with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, with whom he also spent three years.

A native of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Edwards recruits Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. He’s a member of the NFL Retired Player’s Association, the CFL Player’s Association and the American Football Coaches Association (Minority Issues Committee). He is married to the former LuAnn Shockency of Louisville, Kentucky and they have two children Halena & Timothy II.

Photo: FAMU Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers Coach, Steven Jerry

Coach Steven Jerry has served as the running backs coach at the College of William and Mary in the Colonial Athletic Conference for the past four years. He produced an all-conference tailback in each of his three previous seasons as well as serving as the Tribe’s recruiting contact in northwest Virginia, as well as in the western part of Maryland and southern New Jersey.

Elijah Brooks was a prolific performer under Jerry’s tutelage, as he ran for 1,906 yards and 17 touchdowns in his two seasons (2005-06) as the starting tailback. He earned all-conference recognition after both his junior and senior seasons.

Jerry’s first season at W&M was 2004 and his corps of backs proved to be one of the most successful and steady units on the A-10 Championship team, as his tailbacks combined for 1,655 rushing yards and 455 receiving yards on the season. Jerry’s standout on that unit was rugged then-senior Jon Smith, who earned Third-Team All-Atlantic 10 honors by rushing for 15 touchdowns and 784 yards.

Jerry came to William and Mary from Virginia State, where he served as quarterbacks coach. While at Virginia State, Jerry also was the head coach of a pair of arena football2 squads, the Greensboro Prowlers and the Roanoke Steam. Jerry also served as the tight ends coach at East Tennessee State for the 2001 season.

Jerry was no stranger to the Williamsburg campus, as he spent the 2000 season at the College serving as the program’s offensive assistant. From January 1997 until early in 2000, Jerry served in multiple capacities at Central Florida, working as a tight ends coach, an assistant strength and conditioning coach and an assistant track and field coach. He also has collegiate experience at Sienna College and his alma mater, the University of North Carolina.

Jerry was an assistant strength coach at UNC in the summer of 1994. He played both quarterback and wide receiver for the Tar Heel program.

A 1994 graduate of University of North Carolina, Jerry received bachelor’s degrees in both sociology and communications while playing football for the Tar Heels.

He currently resides in Richmond with his wife, Renee’, and the couple has two sons, Christopher (9) and Jonathan (7). Jerry is a native Floridian from Orlando, Florida.

Photo: FAMU Defensive Line Coach, George M. Small

Coach George M. Small previously served three season as the head football coach at North Carolina A&T State University, winning the MEAC championship in his first season (2003) over Joe Taylor's Hampton University Pirates. He was named MEAC coach of the year in 2003 and his 10-3 team made the 1-AA playoffs. He was able to move A&T from a 4-8 record to 10-3 in 2003.

Small is never opposed to learning more about his chosen profession.

Over the summer in 2004, he accepted a coaching internship with the Cleveland Browns. Under new Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, a former teammate of Small's in the NFL, Small assisted with team meetings and team drills. He came away with a better knowledge of the game and will institute some of the ideas he compiled there to help him improve on what has already been an impressive career.

Small has over 23 years of coaching experience as defensive line coach, defensive coordinator and head coach. He brings intensity, energy and a keen understanding of football from all aspects. He knows what it takes to get players to perform.

A native of Raeford, NC, a small town in the southeast portion of the state, Small excelled as an athlete at Hoke County High School. After high school he resumed his athletic career at N.C. A&T State University, where he played on the gridiron as an offensive and defensive lineman. Small played four years of football for the Aggies, earning All-MEAC honors while serving as the team captain during his senior season.

Following the season, Small was honored as a Pittsburgh (PA) Courier All-American, and was selected to the North Carolina All-State team. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminal justice in the spring of 1979.

An outstanding student, Small was named as a National Dean’s List honoree, and as Who’s Who Among Outstanding Names and Faces.

Following his scholastic career, Small enjoyed a career in the National Football League. He played a total of five seasons, which included stints with the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Small was bit by the coaching bug after his professional career and joined several staffs as a defensive line coach and coordinator. He served stints at Langston (Defensive Coordinator, 1988-89), Savannah State (Defensive Coordinator 1990-91), University of Tulsa (Defensive Line Coach, 1992), Florida A&M (Defensive Coordinator, 1993), and Grambling State (Defensive Coordinator, 1994).

In 1995, Small was given the opportunity to guide his first program as a head coach at NCAA Division II Kentucky State. He took over a team that had not had a winning season in 20 years and made them a title contender with a strong defense. Small had an immediate impact, when in his first season, KSU won the inaugural Pioneer Bowl, the annual clash between the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) champions with a 30-26 victory over Livingstone.

In typical Small fashion, the Thorobreds won the game on a defensive goal line stand as the buzzer sounded. KSU finished 7-5 that season and led the NCAA in total defense.

Small was named SIAC Coach of the Year. In 1997, Small was honored by the SIAC and the 100% Wrong Club as Coach of the Year. At KSU, Small produced four players that were drafted into the NFL, and several others joined various professional football leagues. Small completed his career at KSU with a 34-35 record in six seasons as head coach. He was honored as an official Kentucky Colonel former Governor George Patton.

In 2001, he left Kentucky State to become an assistant at Division I-AA power Youngstown State, where he coached the defensive line. The Penguins finished 7-4 on the season, while defensive tackle Guy Mazard was named to the Gateway Football Conference Second Team.

Following the season, Small joined the staff at Hampton, where he coached All-MEAC selection Issac Hilton, a seventh round selection in the 2003 NFL Draft. In 2002, the Pirates finished third in the MEAC in total defense (325 yards per contest), second in rushing defense (133.83 yards per game), and third in scoring defense (20.83 points per game). The Pirates finished 7-5 overall, 5-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Small is a member of the American Football Association (AFCA), Association of Black Collegiate Football Coaches (ABCFC), National Football League Alunni Association (NFLAA), and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Photo: FAMU Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach, Lawrence Kershaw

Coach Lawrence Kershaw is a 1995 graduate of Virginia State University. He spent 2007 at Hampton University as the offensive line coach. He served in the same capacity in 2006 at Truman State in Missouri.

Prior to that, Kershaw spent two seasons at Virginia Union University where he was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach, in addition to being the recruiting coordinator and organizing the strength and conditioning program.

Kershaw was also an assistant coach for seven years at Virginia State University of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), where he helped the Trojans win two conference titles. There he served as the running backs coach in 1995, the offensive line coach in 1996-97 and 2000-03, and the offensive coordinator from 2001-03.

In 2000, 2002 and 2003, Kershaw’s offensive line was the best in the CIAA in sacks allowed, while the Virginia State offense also led the conference in numerous offensive categories. From 1995-2003 the program produced 25 all-conference players on offense, including 13 first team selections and three offensive players of the year.

Kershaw also has one year of coaching experience at Fordham University, where he was a volunteer assistant offensive line coach in 1998 for the NCAA Division I FCS program.

Kershaw started his collegiate playing career at Stony Brook where in 1990 he was named to the All-Liberty Conference football team. He played his final two seasons at Virginia State in 1993 and 1994.

Kershaw graduated from Virginia State in 1995 with a bachelor of arts in sociology and in 1997 he received his masters of education in guidance from VSU.

Photo: FAMU Running Backs Coach, Aaron Taylor

Coach Aaron Taylor served seven years on Joe Taylor's Hampton University staff. Last season he served as the running backs coach, after spending time coaching the tight ends and tackles, as well as four years coaching the defensive line.

During his tenure on the defensive side of the ball, Taylor worked with numerous all-conference performers to lead a Hampton defense that ranked amongst the best in the country. With the Pirates’ defensive unit leading Division I-AA in turnovers forced in 2004, Hampton was able to capture its third MEAC championship.

In 2005, his first season overseeing the running backs, he aided Alonzo Coleman and Ardell Daniels in becoming just the third duo in Division I FCS history to rush for 1,000 yards each in consecutive seasons.

The Charleston, Illinois native and oldest son of head coach Joe Taylor is a graduate of Phoebus High School (Va.) where he was a four-year letterman in football.

In 2001 he earned his bachelor’s degree in history/political science from Virginia State University where he also was a member of the Trojans’ football team. His outstanding senior campaign as an offensive guard garnered him All-CIAA honors.

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