Prep football: Casey Taylor lands head coaching job at Inderkum
Casey Taylor was out of work for less than a week.
When you’re a high school football coach with his statewide reputation of elevating and building programs, you land good gigs. Taylor has gone from being stunningly laid off at Capital Christian despite as rich of a resume as anyone in regional history to being hired as head coach at Inderkum.
Taylor takes over a powerhouse with its own news-making coaching transition.
Terry Stark resigned at Inderkum after 15 hugely successful seasons to help tend to his 29-year old son, Christopher, who has undergone a series of surgeries after taking a hard fall. He may just sit out one season, or maybe much longer. But Inderkum has an accomplished coach in place now, starting with next week’s online distance learning as schools across the state have been closed for the remainder of the academic year due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
Stark has long raved about Taylor’s impact as a coaching giant, saying, “He’s a great coach, incredible. Someone’s going to get a great coach.”
That someone is Inderkum, which is riding a 37-game regular-season winning streak on the strength of three successive 11-1 seasons.
Asked how he’s feeling about his new sudden gig, Taylor said, enthusiastically, “Great!”
He added, “We’re so excited as a family to do this. I’m thankful, and I really liked how fast it all happened. I felt like I’d have some opportunities but for Inderkum and the district to step up to make it happen so fast means a lot.”
Said Natomas Unified School District Superintendent Chris Evans, “It’s a great hire for our community and for our school and we’re all excited that he joins the Tiger family. I know he’ll be great for the kids, and that’s what matters most.”
As for the potential that Taylor and Stark work hand-in-hand in the future?
“Who knows?” he said with a laugh. “They may come together and see what they can accomplish together. We’ll let that work itself out.”
Taylor coached 15 seasons at Del Oro and three at Capital Christian. In those 18 seasons, Taylor directed 17 playoff teams and reached nine Sac-Joaquin Section championship games, winning seven, including in Division III at Capital Christian in 2018. Taylor, his wife Janie, and their two kids met with Inderkum and district officials this week. It all came together in a rush.
Taylor said he will also become active in the Natomas community, including having his football players connect with elementary school programs through reading programs, much like he did at Del Oro. He also said he looks forward to working with Stark on campus when school resumes in the fall.
“I know Terry had a great program and we’re looking to build on that,” Taylor said. “I really think Inderkum is a gold-mine football program. “
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 4:03 PM.