San Diego Athletics

One of the top coordinators in the FCS, Christian Taylor enters his fifth consecutive season with the Toreros and seventh overall in 2020. 

Taylor has risen from position coach to offensive coordinator in his time at USD, and along the way has led the Toreros to consistently be one of the top offenses in the nation, win seven conference championships, make five trips to the FCS Playoffs, and earn FCS Coordinator of the Year finalist honors (2018, Footballscoop.com).

With 13 years of total coaching experience, he brings a wealth of football experience to the Toreros. Before ascending to his current position as the Toreros’ offensive coordinator in 2019, Taylor oversaw nearly every position on the USD offense, serving as the running backs coach from 2012 to 2013, wide receivers coach from 2016 to 2017, and co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2018.

In Taylor’s first two years as USD’s offensive coordinator, the Toreros were one of the best offenses in the country and helped lift USD to a pair of conference championships and trips to the FCS Playoffs. They ranked top-10 in scoring offense in both years (10th in 2018; 5th in 2019) and were 6th in total offense in 2019, a year after slotting in at 16th. Led by a pair of Walter Payton Award finalists at quarterback - Anthony Lawrence and Reid Sinnett - another at wide receiver - Michael Bandy - USD also had one of the top passing attacks, including the best in passing efficiency in 2018. It was top-11 in the nation in passing offense in both years (2nd in 2018; 11th in 2019).

In his seven years as an offensive assistant at USD, Taylor has tutored four All-Americans, one PFL Offensive Player of the Year and 17 All-PFL performers.

In his first season as the sole offensive coordinator for the Toreros in 2019, Taylor tutored first-year starting quarterback Reid Sinnett to become one of the top signal-callers in the FCS. The redshirt senior was a Payton Award Finalist after ranking in the nation’s top-five in passing efficiency, pass TDs, completion percentage and passing yards per game. Taylor also helped lead wide receiver Michael Bandy and tight end Dalton Kincaid to All-American honors on the way of piloting an offense that finished sixth-best in the country and won its sixth straight conference championship.

His first season as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2018 saw Taylor lead one of the most prolific offensive seasons in Toreros history. USD broke multiple national, conference and individual records and ranked first in the country in passing efficiency and passing touchdowns; second in passing offense; fifth in completion percentage; sixth in tackles for loss allowed; seventh in sacks allowed; and 10th in scoring offense.

In addition to the team accomplishments, Bandy (WR) and Lawrence (QB) were named Walter Payton Award finalists and finished among the top-12 in the country in voting. Three players earned All-America honors (Michael Bandy, Anthony Lawrence, Daniel Cooney) and Kincaid was named a Freshman All-American.

Under Taylor’s tutelage in 2018, Lawrence was one of the most dominant quarterbacks in the nation, ranking No. 1 in passing efficiency, passing TDs, and yards per attempt, as well as ranking in the top-five in four other offensive categories. 

As the keystone of Taylor’s offense that year, Lawrence led the PFL with 342 yards per game, and set a myriad of records along the way as he became the PFL’s all-time leader in career passing yards with 12,628; tied Josh Johnson for most career touchdown passes in USD football history with 113; tied the program record with seven touchdowns in a single game; set the USD record for most passing yards in a single season (3,496); and became USD’s all-time leader in career total offense with 12,061 yards. 

Lawrence earned PFL Offensive Player of The Year honors for his efforts in 2018.

Alongside his coaching of Lawrence, Taylor guided Bandy to the most successful season for a receiver in USD and the PFL, registering the fifth-most single-season receiving yards in FCS history. 

Taylor returned to the USD football staff in 2016 to coach the wide receivers and coordinate the team’s passing game.That year, he helped the Toreros (11-2) become the first non-scholarship FCS program to win a playoff game as the Toreros defeated Cal Poly, 35-21. 

The following year, USD went 10-3, and Taylor led receiver Justin Priest to first-team All-PFL honors and guided the offense to top-10 national rankings in passing efficiency, completion percentage and yards per attempt. 

Helped by Taylor’s coaching on offense, the Toreros have gone undefeated in conference play during his tenure from 2016 to 2019.

Taylor has coached three Toreros who have gone on to play professionally: wide receiver Brian Riley (NFL), Ross Dwelley (NFL) and Anthony Lawrence (X-League, Japan). In 2020, Dwelley competed in Super Bowl LIV with the San Francisco 49ers.

Taylor began his football career at William and Mary, earning a pair of varsity letters as the quarterback for the Tribe as well as a degree in kinesiology. He was a four-year member of the team's travel squad and a part of the 2004 team that advanced to the FCS Playoff semifinals. 

After his playing career concluded, he spent two seasons with his alma mater on the William and Mary coaching staff (2008-09), gaining experience coaching tight ends (2008) and quarterbacks (2009). He helped lead the team to the 2009 FCS semifinals and finished the season ranked third in the country. Besides helping to direct four players to all-conference honors, former quarterback RJ Archer reached the NFL and played with Minnesota, Detroit and Seattle. Taylor also had responsibilities with the placekickers, the video editing system, and in the team's recruiting efforts.

From William and Mary, Taylor moved on to be an offensive assistant at San Diego State with a team that was 9-4 and won the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl.

In 2011, he joined the University of Michigan as an offensive analyst, working with a team that went 11-2 and won the Sugar Bowl. 

Taylor's first stint with USD came during the 2012 and 2013 seasons as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. The Toreros went 8-3 in back-to-back seasons with the 2012 squad earning a share of the PFL championship. 

For two years from 2014 to 2015, Taylor worked for Illinois Wesleyan where he was offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coordinator. In 2015, the IWU offense averaged 34.3 points per game and ranked first in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) for red zone offense (88.4%, 8th nationally). 

Originally from Yorktown, Virginia, Taylor attended Grafton High School. He is married to Shay Timms and they have two sons, Anthony and Tyler. Shay earned her undergraduate degree (BBA '96) and Law degree (JD '99) from USD.

Coaching Experience (13 years)

School	Position	Years
San Diego	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks	2019-Current
San Diego	Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks	2018
San Diego	Wide Receivers	2016-17
Illinois Wesleyan	Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator	2014-15
San Diego	Running Backs	2012-13
Michigan	Offensive Analyst	2011
San Diego State	Offensive Assistant	2010
William & Mary	Quarterbacks Coach	2009
William & Mary	Tight Ends Coach	2008