Joel Taylor will take over Mercer's football program, Mercer Athletics announced on Thursday, after former head coach Mike Jacobs left Macon for the University of Toledo.
Taylor returns to Mercer two years after leaving the team for the head coaching gig at the University of West Georgia. While with the Bears, Taylor reshaped the defensive unit as its linebackers coach and defensive coordinator under former head coach Drew Cronic. Two of the players that he mentored before leaving for Carrollton were signed to undrafted free agent deals in the NFL: Myles Redding '25 and TJ Moore '25.
That ability to develop young players, similar to what Jacobs' accomplished in his time at Mercer, was one of the traits that attracted Athletic Director Jim Cole to Taylor.
"He is a tremendous teacher, a man of integrity, and someone who pours into young people. His recent success, including being named AFCA Region Three Coach of the Year, speaks for itself," Cole wrote in a press release. "What truly sets Joel apart is his vision for building a championship program grounded in culture, character and purpose."
Taylor was hired to coach West Georgia as it leapt from the Division II level to its first experience in Division I. Over his two years with West Georgia, his team had a 12-10 record, including its 8-3 season in 2025. The team started this season 5-0, including a 34-10 win against No. 22 Nicholls State University, and was ranked as high as No. 16 in the country.
The Wolves' 33 team sacks this year ranks them in the top-15 across the FCS, and their rushing defense, which gave up 122 yards per game, puts them in the top-20.
Gabriel Kopp '26 is double majoring in Journalism and Law and Public Policy at Mercer University. He has written for The Cluster since he started at Mercer, and currently works as editor-in-chief. When he isn't completing a Washington Post crossword, he enjoys going for runs around Macon and reading The New York Times or the AJC while sipping coffee.
