COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With just under a month remaining until full practice is a go for the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team, head coach Steve Payne has made one addition to the Golden Eagles' coaching staff with the hiring of Jason Taylor as an assistant coach.
"Jason is a very good teacher of the game," Payne said. "He is a terrific evaluator and he did a great job recruiting at Anderson [University]. I think we've got a great fit not only for our coaching staff, but also for or university and our area. I'm really excited about the future with him on staff."
"The opportunity to come to Tennessee Tech was just a great chance to come home and come work for Coach Payne," Taylor said. "This was an opportunity that I just could not pass up."
Taylor brings his own share of experience and success after spending the past 12 seasons at Anderson University in a variety of roles. Most recently, he served as the Trojan's head coach, beginning his historic run at the helm of the program back in 2006. In nine seasons as the lead man, Taylor became Anderson's all-time winningest men's basketball coach, accumulating a 157-113 record.
In just five years, he led the Trojans out of the cellar in the South Atlantic Conference to an NCAA DII Tournament Southeast Regional Championship and Top 25 national ranking. Anderson made four NCAA trips in his final six seasons, including three consecutive bids to the post-season tournament. The team also posted a 6-4 record in the tournament over the past six years.
Over his tenure, particularly in the final five seasons, Taylor turned the Trojans into the class of the SAC, leading the team to a 109-69 mark in league play, including a very impressive 68-30 record his final five years in charge. Home court advantage was clearly evident during his reign, as Anderson put together a 76-22 home record over his final seven seasons.
"I've known Jason for a while now," Payne said of Taylor, "and I've always been impressed with the job he did at Anderson, both as an assistant and as a head coach. I think he brings a great passion, not only for basketball and young people, but also for this area and Tennessee Tech."
Taylor's players enjoyed much success both on and off the court, represented by seven 1,000-point scorers to play for him at Anderson, including the program's top five scorers of all time. Off the court, 30 of his 31 players who finished their eligibility graduated. His teams were also very active off the court throughout the community.
Prior to taking over as the head coach of the Trojans, Taylor served for three years as both an assistant coach for Anderson, as well as the head coach of the JV program. For two years before arriving at Anderson University, he acted as both an assistant coach and adjunct professor of physical education at Roane State Community College.
"I've always wanted to be a college basketball coach," Taylor remarked. "I've heard that becoming a head coach helps you become an even better assistant coach, so hopefully I've gained the experience that I'll need. I'm willing and capable of doing anything and everything Coach Payne wants me to do."
Familiar with the Ohio Valley Conference, Taylor was a member of Jacksonville State's first winning team at the Division I level, posting a 17-11 mark his junior season after transferring from Roane State. He played his freshman season of ball at Aquinas College before redshirting the next year at Roane State. He played his redshirt sophomore season for the Raiders, earning his associate's of sciences in 1998-99. Taylor then made the move to the Gamecocks, walking away from the university with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education K-12 in 2000-01.
Taylor currently resides in Clarkrange, Tenn.
"I'm extremely excited to be here," Taylor added. "Coach Payne is a great coach and I'm looking forward to learning under him and doing whatever I can to help him and this program. I'm excited to be here at Tennessee Tech. This is my hometown. I love Anderson University and my time there was great, but I am very happy to be here."
