Jackson State football coach T.C. Taylor is one of the rising young coaches in America and arguably the best in HBCU football.
In just three season as head coach with JSU, he’s guided the Tigers to a pair of SWAC East championships and an HBCU national championship.
That resume should be impressive enough to get some attention or interest in other jobs.
Mississippi sports reporter Blake Levine believes so.
He publicly urged the University of Southern Mississippi in a Facebook post to consider Taylor as its next football coach, praising Taylor’s work with the Tigers and arguing he deserves a look from the Golden Eagles after the school lost Charles Huff to Memphis.
Levine’s comments add an intriguing name to the growing list of potential candidates as Southern Miss. evaluates the future of its football program.
Levine, a Mississippi-based reporter who frequently covers regional college athletics, suggested that Southern Miss “should call and see if T.C. Taylor would be willing to take the job,” adding that Taylor has been “fantastic” as Jackson State’s head coach.
T.C. Taylor’s profile
Taylor, a former Jackson State standout who worked his way up through the coaching ranks, has earned praise for stabilizing the Tigers after high-profile transitions and maintaining a competitive product on the field after former coach Deion Sanders left for Colorado following the 2022 season.
His tenure has been marked by player development and sustained energy around the program, which has helped keep JSU atop the SWAC.
That track record makes him a logical name to surface when larger programs in the state consider fresh leadership.
What it could mean for Southern Miss
For Southern Miss, a coach like Taylor could represent a strategic bet on a rising in-state figure who already understands Mississippi recruiting, culture, and high school pipelines.
A move from Jackson State to Southern Miss would also mirror a broader national trend in which successful FCS or HBCU head coaches are increasingly viewed as viable candidates for Group of Five jobs.
Whether Southern Miss ultimately makes such a call remains uncertain. A report by Football Scoop indicates that USM is looking at former Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and Utah State coach Blake Anderson.
