MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Bell (65th), Banks, Foster, Clarke, Cockerham, Crudup, Holloway, Johnson, Yates
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING HEAD COACH T.C. TAYLOR FOR BEING NAMED HEAD COACH FOR THE JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL TEAM.
WHEREAS, Head Coach T.C. Taylor, one of the greatest Jackson State University (JSU) Tigers to ever don the Blue and White, has ascended to the position of head coach at his alma mater; and
WHEREAS, Coach Taylor has been named the 22nd head coach for JSU football, and he officially took the reins of the program following the conclusion of the Celebration Bowl; and
WHEREAS, the former JSU quarterback and wide receiver has been a part of the Jackson State football staff since 2019, coaching tight ends and wide receivers, and has played a key role in a historic run over the past two seasons of Tiger football; and
WHEREAS, JSU posted a 23-3 record over the past two seasons, winning back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships and posting consecutive undefeated conference seasons; and
WHEREAS, Coach Taylor's passion and love for Jackson State University is unquestioned, his standard of excellence as a JSU Tiger athlete, and his career trajectory as an assistant coach has prepared him for this exceptional opportunity; and
WHEREAS, Coach Taylor's fervent desire to lead his alma mater as head coach is unparalleled, and his vision and plan to continue the championship excellence of Jackson State football will certainly lead this outstanding program into the future; and
WHEREAS, building on tradition and blazing new trails, Coach Taylor's experience working with JSU's student-athletes, along with his dedication to support and enhance his alma mater, are exactly what Jackson State University needs to continue to elevate the athletic prowess of its football program; and
WHEREAS, as an assistant coach at JSU, Coach Taylor has helped develop some of the best receivers in the SWAC, and prior to the 2022 season, Coach Taylor was selected for an NFL coaching fellowship with the Tennessee Titans; and
WHEREAS, a native of McComb, Mississippi, Coach Taylor played quarterback and wide receiver at JSU from 1998 through 2001, starting off as a signal caller for two-and-a-half seasons before switching to wide receiver, and in just nineteen games as a receiver, he amassed 188 catches for 1,793 yards; and
WHEREAS, as a senior, Coach Taylor broke the JSU single-season record with 84 receptions for 1,234 yards, and eleven touchdowns, earning NCAA Division I-AA Third-Team All-America honors from The Sports Network and First-Team Black College All-America recognition from Sheridan Broadcasting Network, and he was also the runner-up for the 2001 Conerly Trophy, presented to Mississippi's top college football player, behind Eli Manning; and
WHEREAS, prior to returning to JSU as assistant coach in 2019, Coach Taylor coached at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) from 2014 through 2018, where he coached quarterbacks and served as offensive coordinator; and
WHEREAS, at NCCU, Coach Taylor helped guide the Eagles to three MEAC championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and in 2016, the team went unbeaten in conference play and qualified for the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl; and
WHEREAS, under Coach Taylor's guidance, in 2016, NCCU set a record for total offense in a single season, and in 2014, Coach Taylor's unit set a program record for passes completed in a season, and from 2014 through 2018, he coached 28 All-MEAC offensive players and five All-Americans; and
WHEREAS, Coach Taylor spent the prior two seasons, 2012 through 2013, at Texas Southern University as the wide receivers' coach and recruiting coordinator; and
WHEREAS, from 2005 through 2011, Coach Taylor coached at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Mississippi, starting as the quarterbacks' and wide receivers' coach, and spending the final six years as offensive coordinator, and his offenses ranked among the top five in Mississippi junior colleges in total yards for four straight seasons from 2007 through 2010; and
WHEREAS, Coach Taylor signed as a rookie free agent with the New England Patriots in 2002, played wide receiver for the NFL Europe World Bowl XI champion Frankfurt Galaxy in 2003, and participated in the 2003 NFL preseason with the Detroit Lions; and
WHEREAS, dedicated to academic excellence, Coach Taylor graduated from Jackson State with a bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation in 2005, and outside of his outstanding coaching career, he is married to Dawn, and they have two sons, Tre and Tylan; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend exceptional Mississippians, especially those such as Coach Taylor, whose dedication and excellence on and off the field brings honor to Jackson State University and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend Head Coach T.C. Taylor for being named head coach for the Jackson State University Football Team, and express best wishes for continued success in all his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Head Coach T.C. Taylor, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.