Taylor Summers joined Simon Fraser University in February 2018 after coaching for the previous 10 years at many levels of football, including 5 years in NCAA D-II. Summers' has coached at a number of programs with championship pedigrees, including the 2009 NCAA D-III National Semi-Finalist Linfield College, the 2012 NSIC-North Champion Bemidji State University, and most recently the 2017 Washington 3A State Champion O’Dea High School. Summers has gained extensive experience recruiting the Canadian Prairies, Ontario, and the Pacific Northwest in his coaching career. Coach Summers brings leadership and continuity to a staff that has undergone a few recent changes, promoted in March 2020 to Associate Head Coach.
In addition to being Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Summers will be responsible for the defensive line.
Most recently in 2019, Coach Summers' second-year with the program, the SFU defense made a number of improvements. While coaching the linebackers in 2019, the defense made huge strides in terms 3rd Down Defense and Goal-Line Defense. Additionally, the SFU Defense had a number of notable single-game performances. In the Week 7 game against Azusa Pacific, the defense held an explosive APU offense to just 10 points until the game's final drive, limiting APU to just 9 first downs, 64 yards rushing, and just 144 yards passing. It is one of the most dominant defensive performances in SFU's NCAA history, and led to SFU's first NCAA D-II win in over 5 years. Another notable performance for the 2019 defensive unit was the Week 3 performance against South Dakota School of Mines. A team SFU struggled against in 2018, the defense came up big and limited the Hardrockers to just one offensive touchdown and just 149 yards passing. Under Coach Summers' leadership, a number of players earned top conference accolades. Junior linebacker Griffin Barrett was awarded GNAC 1st-Team All-Conference after recording 105 total tackles, Freshman cornerback Jerrell Cummings earned GNAC Freshman of the Year and led the GNAC (5th NCAA-D2) with 17 pass break-ups, along with Freshman linebacker Ian Crocker and Junior defensive end Isaac Evans earning GNAC 2nd-Team All-Conference. All players return in what is shaping up to be the most experienced and talented unit SFU has had in the NCAA era when the players return to the field in 2021. With a knack for developing young players into all-star performers, Coach Summers' and his staff are definitely primed for another big jump in the near future.
In Coach Summers' first year with Simon Fraser, the team's defense improved in every major statistical category while running an aggressive odd front scheme at the line of scrimmage and mixed zone and man coverage in the secondary. Major improvements were seen in total yards per play, yards allowed per game rushing and passing, points allowed, turnovers gained, sacks, interceptions and red zone defense. Most notably, the 2018 unit set school single season records (in the NCAA-era) in interceptions, yards allowed per game, red-zone efficiency, and defensive touchdowns. Out of 169 NCAA D2 teams, the 2018 SFU defense ranked 18th in turnovers gained and interceptions, as well as finishing 19th nationally with 3 defensive touchdowns.
A major highlight of the record-breaking season was the consecutive performances versus Humboldt State and Azusa Pacific, where the SFU defense held both teams under 30 points, something that hadn't been done since the 2013 campaign. The game against APU was most notable because the SFU defense held the prolific NCAA playoff-bound offense to just 7 first half points, 185 passing yards, 323 total yards, two out of nine third-down conversions, and gained six sacks. The 2018 campaign concluded with four All-GNAC awards, including two Second-Team All-Conference players. The defensive unit will return nine starters and add an elite group of recruits, considered one of the best in recent SFU history.
Prior to his time at SFU, Summers spent two seasons at UMC where he was the strength and conditioning coordinator and coached quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs and special teams after spending the previous three seasons as the defensive line coach for Bemidji State University (BSU). He coached record setting wideout Adam Connette and Rodney Stewart at UMC and multiple All-league performers on the defensive line at BSU, which consistently ranked in the top-25 in the major defensive categories in NCAA D-II.
Summers came to BSU after serving two seasons as assistant varsity coach at Eastlake High School in his hometown of Sammamish, Wash. At Eastlake, he worked with the linebackers and wide receivers. Summers helped guide the Wolves to a 19-5 record and two appearances in the state tournament, including a quarterfinal finish in 2011.
Prior to working at Eastlake, Summers served as defensive line coach at his alma mater, Linfield College, an NCAA Division III school located in McMinnville, Ore. Summers helped the Wildcats to a 12-1 finish in 2009 and an appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament, where they advanced to the semi-finals.
Summers was a three-time all-conference defensive lineman at Linfield. As a senior captain, he was named D3Football.com All-Region and conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He finished his career fifth all-time in sacks at Linfield.
Summers earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Linfield College in 2008, a master’s degree in education at Bemidji State University and the CSCS certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
