By Brian Howard
Florida A&M University (FAMU) former head football coach Joe Taylor was named a member of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Management Committee.
Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP, made the announcement on Jan. 26 with Taylor being the lone former head football coach selected to the committee.
“I am truly humbled to be selected to this very impactful committee,” Taylor said. “I think that the body of work over the years played heavily into me receiving the call from Bill Hancock. The integrity, which was displayed over 40 years in the profession, along with being on the Board of Trustees, and rising to the position of president of that organization supported my inclusion. It brings this blessed career full circle.”
Taylor will be joined by Mitch Barnhart, athletics director at the University of Kentucky, Boo Coorigan, athletics director at North Carolina State University, Chris Del Conte, athletics director at the University of Texas and Will Shields, former All-American lineman at the University of Nebraska.
The new members will begin a three-year term starting this spring. They will replace Joe Castiglione, Ken Hatfield, Ronnie Lott, Todd Stansbury and Scott Stricklin, whose terms have expired.
Taylor, a 2019 College Football Hall of Fame and 2020 Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee, spent 30 years as a head football coach at Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984-1991), Hampton (1992-2007) and Florida A&M (2008-2012). While at Hampton, Taylor guided the Pirates to five Black College Football National Championships and eight conference titles.
As a head coach, Taylor’s teams won five Black College Football National Championships, 10 conference titles and made 10 playoff appearances. He posted a 233-96-4 all-time record and ranks third in career victories in HBCU history.
A 1972 graduate of Western Illinois University, Taylor played offensive guard for the Leathernecks. He began his coaching career at H.D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C.
Taylor is currently the vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics and Community Wellness at Virginia Union University where he has worked since 2013.
