Tayler Polk - Football Coach - Tulane University Athletics

Tayler Polk

Title:
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
Email:
rpolk1@tulane.edu
Phone:
314-2425

Tayler Polk starts his first year at Tulane in 2024 as the co-defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach.

He previously worked at Troy as an assistant coach the last two seasons. He was promoted to the role of co-defensive coordinator for the Trojans in 2023.

In 2023, in his second season at Troy, the program set the school and the Sun Belt single-season record with 47 sacks, and the Trojans ranked in the top 15 nationally in sacks (3rd), scoring defense (10th), rushing defense (12th) and total defense (14th). The program had a streak of 10 consecutive victories including a 48-23 win over Appalachian State in the 2023 Sun Belt Championship Game.

Troy held eight of its 14 opponents to fewer than 300 yards of total offense on the season, while Javon Solomon and Richard Jibunor became just the second Troy duo to record nine or more sacks in the same season; Solomon ranked third in the country and led the Sun Belt with a Troy single-season record 16 sacks. He was drafted in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills during 2024 NFL Draft.

In his season as the co-defensive coordinator of the Troy defense, Polk saw nine of his players earn All-Sun Belt yearly honors in defensive lineman Solomon (First Team), defensive lineman Jibunor (First Team), defensive back Reddy Stewart (First Team), defensive lineman TJ Jackson (Second Team), defensive back Dell Pettus (Second Team), defensive back Irshaad Davis (Third Team), defensive back O’Shai Fletcher (Honorable Mention), defensive lineman Budda Jones (Honorable Mention) and defensive back Caleb Ransaw (Honorable Mention)

The Trojans handed Army its first shutout at home in 20 years and first overall shutout in nine seasons, and Troy defeated in-state rival South Alabama for a sixth straight season.

In 2023, Troy allowed just 106.6 yards per game on the ground, the fewest by a Trojan squad since 2004 and the sixth lowest in program history, while Troy’s 308.1 yards per game allowed per game was its fewest since 2002 and the sixth-fewest in Sun Belt history.

In his first season, Polk guided Troy’s inside linebackers and helped propel Carlton Martial to become the all-time leading tackler at the NCAA FBS level in addition to the Sun Belt and at Troy. Martial earned four Sun Belt Player of the Week honors, was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy.

As a defensive unit, Troy held all 14 of its opponents to under their season average in scoring, including three of the top 25 scoring teams in the country – UTSA, Western Kentucky and App State. The Trojans limited UTSA to just 10 offensive points in the Cure Bowl, with three of those 10 points coming on a 4-play, 7-yard drive following a turnover; the Roadrunners entered the game averaging 38.7 points per game.

The Trojans held eight of its 14 opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter and allowed an average of just 3.64 points in the final 15 minutes of the game. Additionally, Troy ranked eighth nationally in turnovers gained, 14th in sacks, eighth in scoring defense, 19th in total defense and 24th in rushing defense.

Will linebacker K.J. Robertson joined Martial on the All-Sun Belt team as the Trojans posted a 12-2 record, won the Sun Belt Conference championship, ended the season on an 11-game winning streak – second only to National Champion Georgia – won the only bowl matchup pitting two conference champions by defeating UTSA in the Cure Bowl.

Troy finished the season ranked in a major poll for the first time in program history, checking in at No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and No. 20 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll. Additionally, Troy's appearance in the Coaches Poll and College Football Playoff Poll after its Sun Belt Championship Game victory were also firsts for the program.

Troy hosted and appeared in the Sun Belt Championship Game for the first time, reached the 12-win mark at the FBS level for the first time and hosted Army in front of a Veterans Memorial Stadium record crowd of more than 31,000 fans. Additionally, Polk and Bam Hardmon were named co-finalists for the Football Scoop Linebackers Coach of the Year.

Polk coached the Central Arkansas Bears' outside linebackers in 2020 before taking over the entire unit for the 2021 season. Central Arkansas led the FCS ranks in turnovers forced and defensive touchdowns during the 2020 campaign while also ranking third in sacks and tackles for loss and fifth in third-down defense.

The Bears' special teams were strong under Polk, with the kickoff return unit finishing 11^th nationally in 2021, while the 2020 team ranked first in kickoff returns, second in punt returns, fourth in kickoff coverage and fifth in punt coverage.

Under his mentorship, Logan Jessup earned All-Southland Conference honors with 11 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2020, while Trenton Dunn finished fifth in the league in tackles in 2021.

A four-year letterwinner at linebacker for Ole Miss, Polk played in every game for the Rebels from 2014-17 with five career starts. A native of Brandon, Miss., Polk recorded 35 tackles in the Mississippi 6A state title game his senior season.

Following his playing career, Polk was a graduate assistant for two seasons at Ole Miss working with the Rebels' linebackers and special teams units, including the 2018 season with Sumrall. Polk played a key role in Ole Miss improving its rushing defense from 110^th nationally to 44^th.

Polk graduated from Ole Miss with a bachelor's degree in general studies in 2017 and received his master's from Ole Miss in teaching in 2019. He is married to the former Eliza Adcock.