I knew he could be a success,” Taylor said. The Davis and Taylor families get together annually while attending the college basketball Final Four and have watched each other’s children grow up. Cathy Taylor was understandably apprehensive about picking up and moving to one of the coldest cities in America. “Whether we play in front of 10 fans or 20,000 fans, I couldn’t tell you,” Taylor said. Lengyel served as Navy athletic director from 1988 to 2001 and called Taylor the “best assistant I ever had.” That is saying something considering two other former Navy assistants — Steve Orsini (Central Florida, SMU) and Mike Bobinski (Purdue) — also became athletic directors at Division I schools. I loved Annapolis and I loved the Naval Academy – still do on both counts.”. “But I do think everybody is trying to figure out a way to play a football season. And then you’ve got players playing all the way through May and then they are going to come back in the fall. Here are the details about the money and length of his new deal. It’s great to see good people get rewarded in this business.”. Basketball has also done well under Taylor’s leadership, capturing the Big 12 Conference championship and advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season. “I wouldn’t be where I am now if it weren’t for Jack. “This is just me talking, but playing a full season starting in January and playing through March is a crazy plan,” Taylor said. 1, 2 (and 10) separate themselves in final ranking, Kansas State Wildcats agree to new contract, raise for football coach Chris Klieman, Chris Klieman shares optimistic injury update on K-State quarterback Skylar Thompson, As predicted, my husband’s lifestyle — er, job — brought the coronavirus home to me, Company that owns Outback, Carrabba’s launching new virtual restaurant concept in Wichita, More Kansas counties enter COVID school red zone — but case rates improved statewide, Grades from Kansas State’s clutch victory over Texas Tech and a look ahead to TCU, Kansas State working to host November basketball tournament at Bramlage Coliseum, SportsBeat KC: Chiefs geared up for unexpectedly delayed game, and K-State finds a way, Chris Klieman’s recruiting chops on display as newcomers lead K-State past Texas Tech, What we learned from Kansas State’s injury-filled victory over Texas Tech, Starting the season as scheduled in early September, Starting the season in late September and ending games in December, Starting the season in October and playing a conference-only schedule, Starting the season in September and playing a conference-only schedule, Waiting until 2021 and starting the season in January, Waiting until 2021 and starting the season in March, Splitting up the season with six games in the fall and six games in the spring. A forceful recommendation from Lengyel helped him land the job in the summer of 2001. Taylor reached out to longtime Navy senior associate athletic director Carl Tamulevich for assistance. He spent 15 years in Annapolis, steadily climbing the ladder within the athletic department while performing a myriad of roles. To have it be Navy makes it more fun for me personally because that is where I got my start. Will fans be allowed to watch games from inside campus stadiums? Taylor thinks all seven options are on the table right now, but he is more optimistic about certain plans than others. Taylor is married to his wife, Cathy, and has two children. Nearly two decades after he left Annapolis, Taylor has reached the pinnacle of the profession as an athletic director at a Power Five Conference school. Taylor’s first job in collegiate athletics was at the Naval Academy, where he was hired in 1986 as the assistant ticket manager. “Gene has proven himself and done a marvelous job everywhere he’s been,” said Lengyel, who recently moved back to Annapolis. Lengyel realized Taylor had done all he could with the Naval Academy Athletic Association and made it a personal mission to send him to the next level. When will games begin? Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor began his career at Navy. Taylor said K-State football coach Chris Klieman has wondered aloud what might happen if the Wildcats’ first road game, scheduled for Sept. 26 at West Virginia, is postponed what would the team do if replacement hotel options aren’t available? [5] Taylor also hired several successful coaches who have moved on to larger NCAA Division I schools: football coach Craig Bohl (2011–2013 FCS national champions) who is now at Wyoming, and basketball coaches Tim Miles (now at Nebraska) and Saul Phillips (now at Ohio). That is one of many possible scenarios that won’t be explored until a firm plan is set in place. There’s still no telling exactly what college football will look like next season. After graduating from Arizona State, Taylor worked in restaurants while completing his master's degree. I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of the Navy folks I know in Memphis.”. Graduating student-athletes is always the top priority and academic success has continued under Taylor’s guidance as K-State continues to rank among the top schools in the Big 12 in APR and graduation success rate. Krause was the 14th athletic director at Kansas State. “Gary asked if I could give him three years and that’s exactly what I did,” said Taylor, who was the No. During his tenure at North Dakota State, Taylor more than tripled the department's budget,[4] as well as helped the university transition from an NCAA Division II school to an NCAA Division I FCS school. Just a real honest, down-to-earth person.”. Coppedge retired two years later and was replaced by Jack Lengyel, who became an important mentor for Taylor. Prior to his current position, Taylor served as the deputy athletics director at the University of Iowa from 2014 to 2017, and was the athletics director at North Dakota State University from 2001 to 2014. How undrafted Kansas State lineman Scott Frantz is dealing with unlikely NFL future, Kansas State announces salary reductions for Bruce Weber, Chris Klieman, other staff, Best Big 12 basketball arenas: No. [3], In the summer of 2001, Taylor began his first full-time gig as an athletics director at North Dakota State. I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Gene Taylor.”, Chris Klieman, left, is introduced as the 35th Kansas State NCAA college football head coach by athletic director Gene Taylor, right, in Manhattan, Kan., Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. “Gene is one of the finest human beings I know. I learned about every aspect of running an athletic department,” said Taylor, who married the former Cathy Schofield in July 1994. “Some say that we should start in March and end in May, which may be a little more palatable from a weather perspective,” Taylor said. Taylor met his wife Cathy through Schofield because she is his sister. That should give players enough time to return to football shape and go through preseason camp after spending months in quarantine. “But how are you going to handle the draft? Some of those logistics are crazy to think about.”. He also announced plans for a new $15 million baseball and soccer Facility that is currently under construction. Tamulevich’s roommate and 1968 classmate at the Naval Academy had been Admiral Michael Mullen, who served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations.