GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Nov.3) – FAMU head coach Joe Taylor
announced his retirement from coaching this morning in the team's pre-game
breakfast. Taylor said that after 40 years on the sideline, "You know, when you
know. From 1972 to now is 40 years. It's been a blessed career. We've touched a
lot of lives. I'm officially announcing today that this is the year I retire,
humbly. Full of gratitude," he said.
As players
prepared for the MEAC game against the North Carolina A&T State University,
they had no idea that Taylor was about to make such a startling announcement.
Players coaches and support staff embraced Taylor and vowed to give their all in
winning the last three games.
Taylor has amassed
a record of 233 wins against 95 losses. He accumulated a 35-18 record thus far
in his tenure at FAMU. With the 233 wins, Taylor sits tied with longtime
Southern University coach A.W. "Ace" Mumford for third place all-time in wins.
He is two wins away from tying John "Big John" Merritt, at 235 to move into
second place behind the untouchable record of Grambling's Eddie
Robinson.
Taylor is a native of Washington, D.C. and graduated from Western Illinois University. He has been a part of several coaches associations and organizations. He is on the American Football Coaches Association board, the Board of Directors of the Black Coaches Association, the advisory board of Wilson Sporting Goods Company and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also a member of the CIAA Hall of Fame.
FAMU Director of
Athletics, Derek Horne, said "We are proud of what coach Taylor has brought to
this program. As an administrator, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity
to work with a coaching legend, who will go down as one of the best ever in HBCU
athletics. We understand his desire to move into the next phase of his life and
we support him wholeheartedly."
FAMU interim
president, Dr. Larry Robinson praised Taylor for his successes on and off the
field. "We reached some great milestones during Coach Taylor's career, including
FAMU's debut in November 2008 on ESPN College Game Day in which FAMU became the
first historically black college or university to host the program. Coach Taylor
has had a storied career as one of the winningest coaches in black college
football. In addition, he has built character and promoted academic progression
of students athletes, always reminding them that their best contributions will
often occur off the field of athletic competition. We certainly appreciate
everything he has done to advance the football program at FAMU and we wish Coach
Taylor all the best in his retirement," Robinson said.
Taylor is the 15th
head coach in the history of Florida A&M University. In 2007, the season
before his arrival, the Rattlers finished 3-8 overall. In his inaugural
campaign in 2008, he crafted the best one-year turnaround in the country with
the football team finishing 9-3. In doing so, he tied legendary coach A.S. Jake
Gaither for the most wins by a first-year coach.
He followed that
season with a 8-3 record in 2009, vaulting the Rattlers into the NCAA FCS polls
for the first time since 2001. In 2010, which was Taylor's best at FAMU, his
team won a share of the MEAC football championship, going 8-3. That team capped
the season with six straight wins.
Taylor is a native of Washington, D.C. and graduated from Western Illinois University. He has been a part of several coaches associations and organizations. He is on the American Football Coaches Association board, the Board of Directors of the Black Coaches Association, the advisory board of Wilson Sporting Goods Company and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also a member of the CIAA Hall of Fame.
Horne said the
department will move swiftly in preparing for Taylor's successor. "We will make
deliberate efforts to find the ideal person to continue the legacy of head coach
of Rattler Football here at Florida A&M."
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS.COM
COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
VISIT: FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
VISIT: FAMUATHLETICS.COM