According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the University of Washington is poised to appoint former USC Trojans All-American safety Taylor Mays as their new safeties coach.
Mays has served as an assistant defensive backs coach at USC for the past two seasons and worked as a defensive analyst in his first season on the coaching staff.
USC has already lost Matt Entz, linebackers coach, who took a head coaching position at Fresno State.
Taylor Mays, a legendary figure in USC football history, was a two-time First-Team All-American and a Second-Team All-American during his collegiate career. He was also recognized as the Pac-10 Co-Freshman of the Year in 2006.
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Following his collegiate success, Mays was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, embarking on a six-year professional career that saw him play for three different teams.
Following his illustrious playing career, Taylor Mays maintained a close association with the USC program. He served as a defensive analyst, notably assisting the team during their Holiday Bowl preparation in 2023 following the firings of coaches Alex Grinch and Donte Williams.
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Mays was one of the few coaches to survive the massive overhaul on the defensive staff last season.
Mays’ continued involvement with the program, even in an assistant role, solidified his reputation as a valuable mentor and potential coaching candidate. Many within the USC community anticipated his eventual transition to a higher-level coaching position.
It will be imperative for second year defensive backs coach Doug Belk and the team to find a suitable replacement for Mays, as the USC Trojans secondary now faces a massive rebuild with most of the starters headed to the draft or departing via the NCAA transfer portal.
Mays is a Seattle native, attending nearby O’Dea High School.