JCM's Taylor headed for Trezevant
Orentheus Taylor walked out the doors of Jackson Central-Merry in May for the last time, and he said it was obviously a memorable experience for him.
“It wasn’t an emotional time, like I was crying or anything like that,” Taylor said. “But it definitely was the end of an era for me – a time when I made a lot of relationships I hope will last the rest of my life.”
It became official this week when Taylor figuratively walked out of the Jackson-Madison County Schools System when he turned in his official resignation to the school board Friday morning.
JCM coach Taylor considers next move
After three years as the head football coach at JCM, Taylor made a change.
He, along with all JCM employees, were guaranteed jobs elsewhere in the school system this year. But he got opportunities close to home.
“I live in Oakland, in Fayette County on the outskirts of Shelby County,” Taylor said. “I accepted a position with Trezevant High School in Memphis.”
The Cougars went 7-24 during Taylor’s tenure with what amounted to be the final playoff appearance in the program’s history in 2013.
The move is good for Taylor. His one-way commute to work will decrease from 56 minutes to about 25.
“Plus our kids stay in Cordova during the day, and that’s right on the way between the school and my house instead of driving to Cordova from Jackson,” Taylor said.
The past three years have been a learning experience for Taylor. He learned about running a program and dealing with the adversity JCM football dealt with in that time.
The program dealt with the death of a teammate when Bubba Sterling died in a house fire in the winter of 2014, the deaths of close family members of a number of players, going nearly a month without a home stadium after the playing surface at Lane Field was torn apart during a rainy Lane College game and the challenges that typically accompany a sports program in the city of Jackson.
“I’ve learned to deal with adversity and to also just run a program and what all goes into that,” Taylor said. “I think I’m hopefully a better assistant coach now because I understand the perspective of a head coach when preparing for practice and games and everything we do as coaches.”
Taylor, who played wide receiver at Dyersburg and Tennessee State, will coach quarterbacks and receivers and help assist the offensive coordinator at Trezevant, who won the Class 2A state championship last year and brings back its star running back Cordarrian Richardson, who has a number of big-time NCAA Division I scholarship offers.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of a great program there,” Taylor said. “And I hope I can be a productive part of the coaching staff.
“I appreciate the opportunities and friends I’ve made in Jackson. And who knows? I might wind up back this way again someday.”
Brandon Shields, 425-9751