Seven members of Arkansas State University’s 2018 coaching staff have been fired or have left the program for jobs elsewhere since Dec. 29, ASU’s final game in 2018.
All three of Coach Blake Anderson’s primary offensive assistants from last season — offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, offensive line coach Allen Rudolph and outside wide receivers coach Chris Buckner — were fired shortly after ASU’s 16-13 Arizona Bowl loss to Nevada in late December.
Since Monday morning, defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen and defensive line coach Brian Early were hired by the University of Houston for the same positions and have also left ASU. Their tenures at Houston began Tuesday, Early confirmed.
The University of Louisville announced Tuesday it has officially hired former ASU running backs coach and special teams coordinator Norval McKenzie — a 2018 nominee for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach — to become the Cardinals’ new running backs coach under Scott Satterfield.
Satterfield was hired away from Appalachian State University to become Louisville’s head coach in December.
Trooper Taylor, the Red Wolves' fiery, five-year cornerbacks coach who was elevated to become Anderson’s assistant head coach three seasons ago, was reportedly hired as Duke University's wide receivers coach on Tuesday.
A former receivers coach at Tulane, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Auburn prior to ASU, Trooper did not immediately respond to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette when reached for confirmation of the move, which was first reported by FootballScoop and FOX Sports, both citing sources.
Taylor’s son, Blaise Taylor, is a current defensive graduate assistant coach at Duke and was coached by his father as an Arkansas State defensive back from 2014-17.
The Red Wolves have since replaced all three offensive assistant coaches. The hirings of offensive coordinator Keith Heckendorf, offensive line coach Sean Coughlin and outside wide receivers coach Malcolm Kelly were announced Jan. 9. All three assistants reported to ASU by Jan. 13.
Anderson declined to comment when reached by the Democrat-Gazette on Monday and Tuesday.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.