Taylor Reed Named Running Backs Coach For Georgia Southern Football

Football 25/01/2023 14:29:00

New coach has experience at three Power 5 schools STATESBORO – Taylor Reed, who has coaching experience at three Power 5 programs, has been named running backs coach for Georgia Southern by head coach Clay Helton . Reed joins the team after spending two seasons with the Illinois football program.

“My family and I are honored to join the Georgia Southern program,” Reed said. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to join the Coach Helton staff, and I am thrilled to work with this great group of student-athletes and coaches.”

Reed was elevated to offensive analyst for the Illini in 2022 after serving as an offensive graduate assistant in 2021 when he helped Illinois to two ranked wins on the road. The Illini won at No. 7 Penn State in nine overtimes, the longest game in college football history, and won at No. 20 Minnesota, the program’s first victory against a ranked opponent in the college football playoffs.

In 2022, running back Chase Brown was among the leaders in the nation with 1,643 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns, and quarterback Tommy DeVito threw for 2,650 yards and 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions. Brown became the first Doak Walker Award finalist in program history and was named an All-American by nearly every outlet. DeVito set a program record with a completion rate of 69.6%, which was fourth best in FBS. Illinois was the only team in the nation with a 1,500-yard thrower and a receiver with 80 catches.

“We are very pleased to welcome Taylor Reed to our Georgia Southern football team,” Helton said. “Taylor was part of an Illinois team that helped make Chase Brown one of the best rushers in all of college football last season. Prior to being in the Big Ten, Taylor had two different saves in the SEC, Auburn and Arkansas. These experiences have allowed Taylor to compete and be trained at the highest level and have helped him form meaningful relationships within our recruiting footprint. We are thrilled to have our fullback -hall continues to thrive under his leadership.”

Prior to arriving in Illinois, Reed spent the previous two seasons at Auburn as an offensive graduate assistant, working primarily with wide receivers and helping Auburn to the Citrus Bowl and Outback Bowl.

Reed first coached under Bret Bielema at Arkansas from 2016 to 2017, working primarily with quarterbacks. At Arkansas, Reed assisted Coach Austin Allen, the SEC’s leading passer in 2016, who threw for 3,430 yards, including a league-best 2,291 yards, and had 25 touchdown passes.

Reed joined the Razorbacks after writing at central Arkansas at quarterback from 2013 to 2015, where he threw for 1,809 yards and 14 touchdowns in 23 games over three seasons. He started his college career in 2011 at Memphis, starting nine of 11 games and throwing for 1,690 yards and 10 touchdowns. After that season, he transferred to Arkansas, missed the 2012 season due to NCAA transfer rules, and then joined Central Arkansas in August 2013.

Reed joined Central Arkansas as running backs coach in 2018 before moving to Auburn from 2019-20.

A native of El Dorado, Arkansas, Reed graduated from central Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He and his wife, Shayne, married in July 2019. They are the parents of twins, William Bo and Tommy Fisher, born in 2022.