Aug 30, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Western Michigan Broncos head coach Lance Taylor looks on during the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Get to Know MSU's Opponent's Coach, WMU's Lance Taylor

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 10:34 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans hope to begin the 2025 season the right way by getting a victory over the Western Michigan Broncos on Friday evening.

MSU is 12-0 all-time against WMU and is looking to make it 13. The Broncos have several questions about how they will replace talent from last year’s bowl team, which should allow MSU to have the upper hand.

The Broncos are led by head coach Lance Taylor, who enters his third season in Kalamazoo. He has compiled a 10-15 record through two seasons as he rebuilds the program from the Tim Lester days.

What should Spartan fans know about Taylor before the matchup? Let’s break down his football career.

Lance Taylor's career

Taylor was a wide receiver at Alabama from 1999 to 2002, catching 12 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns in his Crimson Tide career.

His coaching career began at Alabama in 2007 as a graduate assistant, eventually becoming the assistant wide receivers’ coach with the Carolina Panthers. He made stops in different places as a position coach, including Notre Dame and Stanford.

Taylor was Louisville’s offensive coordinator in 2022 before being hired at WMU. During that season, the Cardinals were the 50th-best offense in the country and the sixth-best in the ACC.

Despite being a former wide receiver, Taylor has done a nice job developing running backs in his day. That most notably includes NFL star Christian McCaffrey, but he has also done good work with players like former Notre Dame star Kyren Williams.

The Broncos seem to always have talented running backs, and Taylor will lean on his run game again this season with uncertainty at quarterback and receiver. The Spartans will see a heavy dose of Jalen Buckley this Friday evening.

WMU went to a bowl game under Taylor in his second season, and things appear to be trending in the right direction as he builds his program. The Spartans hope Taylor begins his third season with a loss, though.

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