Taylor Reed, who has coaching experience at three Power 5 programs, serves as the running backs coach for Georgia Southern. He joined the staff in January of 2023 after spending two seasons with the Illinois football program.
In his first year in Statesboro, Reed mentored a talented running back room that combined to rush for 1,447 yards and 15 touchdowns. Jalen White led the way with nearly 900 yards on the ground, earning all-conference honors for his play. In 2024, White scored 13 rushing touchdowns and ran for nearly 800 yards en route to All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
Reed was elevated to an offensive analyst for the Illini in 2022 after serving as an offensive graduate assistant in 2021, when he helped Illinois to a pair of road ranked wins. The Illini won at No. 7 Penn State in nine overtimes, the longest game in college football history, and won at No. 20 Minnesota, the program’s first ever win over a College Football Playoff-ranked opponent.
In 2022, running back Chase Brown was among the nation's leaders with 1,643 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns and quarterback Tommy DeVito threw for 2,650 yards and 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions. Brown became the first Doak Walker Award finalist in program history and was named an All-American by most every outlet. DeVito set a program record with a 69.6 percent completion rate, which was fourth best in the FBS. Illinois was the only team in the country with a 1,500-yard rusher and a receiver with 80 catches.
Prior to arriving at Illinois, Reed spent the previous two seasons at Auburn as an offensive graduate assistant, working primarily with wide receivers and helping Auburn to Citrus Bowl and Outback Bowl berths.
Reed originally coached under Bret Bielema at Arkansas from 2016-17, working primarily with the quarterbacks. At Arkansas, Reed helped coach Austin Allen, the SEC’s top passer in 2016, who threw for 3,430 yards, including a league-best 2,291 yards in SEC play, and totaled 25 touchdown passes.
Reed joined the Razorbacks after lettering at Central Arkansas at quarterback from 2013-15, where he threw for 1,809 yards and 14 touchdowns in 23 games over three seasons. He began his college career in 2011 at Memphis, starting nine of 11 games and throwing for 1,690 yards and 10 touchdowns. Following that season, he transferred to Arkansas, sat out the 2012 season due to NCAA transfer rules, then went on to join Central Arkansas in August 2013.
Reed rejoined Central Arkansas as running backs coach in 2018 before moving to Auburn from 2019-20.
A native of El Dorado, Arkansas, Reed graduated from Central Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He and his wife, Shayne, married in July 2019. They are the parents to twin boys, William Bo and Tommy Fisher, who were born in 2022.
THE REED FILE
Personal
Hometown: El Dorado, Ark.
Born: July 16, 1992 in Memphis, Tenn.
College: Central Arkansas (2015)
Family: wife, Shayne; sons William Bo and Tommy Fisher
Playing Experience
2011: Memphis
2012: Arkansas
2013-15: Central Arkansas
Coaching Experience
2023-: Georgia Southern (running backs)
2022: Illinois (offensive analyst)
2021: Illinois (G.A.)
2019-20: Auburn (G.A.)
2018: Central Arkansas (running backs)
2016-17: Arkansas (G.A.)
College Bowl/Playoff Experience
CoachÂ
2024: New Orleans (GS vs. Sam Houston)
2023: Myrtle Beach (GS vs. Ohio)
2022:Â ReliaQuest (Illinois vs. Mississippi State)
2020: Citrus (Auburn vs. Northwestern)
2019: Outback (Auburn vs. Minnesota)
2016: Belk (Arkansas vs. Virginia Tech)
Prominent Pupils
Austin Allen (QB): Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chase Brown (RB): Cincinnati Bengals
Â
