Issue date: 8/28/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga Former Nebraska quaterback Zac Taylor joined the Aggie coaching staff during the 2007-2008 off-season. Taylor, who has numerous Cornhusker football records, cites his past connections to the Aggie staff as a reason for making the move to Aggieland. [Click to enlarge]

The last time Zac Taylor stood on the grass of Kyle Field, he threw a 9-yard game-winning touchdown pass with 21 seconds remaining. Taylor and his Nebraska Cornhuskers walked off the field victorious, 28-27.

Now the former quarterback has joined the Texas A&M coaching staff for the 2008 football season.

"I'm very excited about coming down here. It's a great town and I love being involved with 'football' schools," Taylor said. "The people here in College Station make the transition very easy because everyone has such a positive approach to everything, so it's been easy for my wife and I to fit in."

He holds both school records for passing yards with 2,846 and completions, 233, in a single game. Single-season records for passing yards, 2,846, and completions, 233 also belong to Taylor.

While at the helm, Taylor gave former Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan his most successful seasons with a 17-9 record between 2005 and 2006. Callahan struggled without Taylor, going 10-13 in 2004 and 2007, including a 2007 loss to the Aggies at home. It was the only road victory for A&M that season.

Although Taylor dawned the "Big Red", he was actually raised in the hometown of rival Oklahoma. At Norman High School, he set 12 school records including most career passing yards and touchdowns.

"I grew up in Norman, went to school in Nebraska, and now I am here so I have been fortunate enough to be around some fan bases who love football as much as I do," said Taylor.

Taylor said he took the job because of the connections he shared with many of the newly appointed Aggie coaching staff. A&M Associate Athletic Director Tim Cassidy, and coaches Randy Jordan, Buddy Wyatt and Dave Kennedy were all on the Nebraska staff that coached Taylor.

"We have several people on the staff here that coached me while I was at Nebraska," Taylor said. "I've known Coach Sherman for a few years now so I have a lot of confidence in what we are trying to get done."

Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne agreed, saying that the two programs have "intensely loyal fans that have very strong opinions about their sports teams."

In 2006, after directing the Cornhuskers athletic program into one of the finest in the country, Byrne made the same change as Taylor has. Both men are now Aggies but still are proud of their Husker backgrounds.

"That program did so much for me," Taylor said. "I will always want Nebraska to do well."

"I spent 10 years of my life making Nebraska the best program that I could," Byrne said. "So I still have a great deal of interest in their program and yell for them whenever they are playing anyone other than us."

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