Recruiting Area (Minnesota Metro)
Todd Taylor enters his fifth season with Minnesota State and his fourth as the program’s Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach after joining the Mavericks in 2022.
Taylor was promoted to defensive coordinator in March 2023 following a standout first season coaching the defensive line and overseeing special teams. In 2022, he coached three All-NSIC selections and directed one of the top special team's units in the conference. Minnesota State led the NSIC in punt return average (19.8), kickoff return net average (41.6), and punt team average (37.0). Trey Vaval earned All-NSIC First Team honors and was later named a D2CCA Second Team All-American.
In 2023, Taylor’s defense produced five All-NSIC honorees, including First Team linebacker Jacob Daulton and Second Team selection Dakota Smith. Maven Kretche and Trey Vaval earned AFCA All-America honors. The Mavericks allowed 358.4 yards per game and ranked sixth in the NSIC in scoring defense (25.0 points per game).
During the 2024 season, Minnesota State captured the Super Region Four Championship. The Mavericks placed multiple players on the All-NSIC First Team Defense, including Maven Kretche, Khai West, and Antonio Alzheimer. Cody Brown and Joey Goettl earned All-NSIC Second Team honors. West and Alzheimer were also named All-Super Region Four selections, while Alzheimer was recognized on the D2Football.comElite 100 list.
In 2025, Taylor’s defense continued its success as Jefferson Mobry earned All-Super Region Three and D2CCA honors. Minnesota State produced multiple All-NSIC selections on defense, with Marcus Hansen, Jefferson Mobry, and Jamal Spiyee earning All-NSIC First Team honors, while Jason Dandridge was named to the All-NSIC Second Team. That season, Taylor’s defense ranked first nationally in defensive touchdowns (7), second in the country in takeaways (32), and allowed just 20.93 points per game.
Prior to Minnesota State, Taylor served as Defensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Park University. He also spent two seasons at Denison University, coaching running backs in 2018 and linebackers from 2019–20, helping lead the program to back-to-back NCAC Championships in 2018 and 2019.
Taylor’s coaching career includes stops at Hanover College (Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs), the University of Indianapolis (Defensive Backs), and Carthage College (Running Backs).
A former linebacker, Taylor was a four-year letterwinner at Anderson University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Education. He is married to Shea’na Grigsby and has two children, Rainha Taylor and Todd A. Taylor
