Lance Taylor has had to do more than his fair share of hiring coaches the past several off season cycles as he gets set to enter year four leading the Western Michigan program.
Following a breakout 10-win season, Taylor lost a few key members of his defensive staff including his defensive coordinator, and has had to make a few critical hires as the Broncos look to defend their Mid-American Conference title from last fall.
Taylor, selected as the 2019 FootballScoop Running Backs Coach of the Year while at Notre Dame, has continued an impressive build of the MAC program based in Kalamazoo despite turning over coordinators multiple times in his three seasons leading the Broncos. Taylor went 4-8 in his debut season as a head coach with the program before a 6-7 second season that ended with a loss in the Salute to Veterans Bowl prior to the double-digit win campaign this past fall.
Heading into his fourth season, Taylor carries a 20-19 record into the 2026 season, and has faced some significant hiring decisions this off season after losing defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary to become the defensive for Jim Harbaugh's LA Chargers in the NFL. Just a few weeks later O'Leary nabbed Western Michigan defensive analyst Beay Snuggs to join him in LA.
As Taylor continues to round out his staff, one his latest hires is coming from the FCS ranks, based on what sources have shared recently.
Sources tell FootballScoop Taylor is hiring Lorenzo Jackson as the team's new defensive line coach.
Jackson had been at Lamar (FCS - TX) as their defensive line coach since January of 2023 after becoming one of Pete Rossomando's first additions to his new staff at the time.
Before landing his first full-time coaching opportunity at Mississippi College (D-II), Jackson spent two seasons in Columbus, Ohio as a graduate assistant with the Ohio State program and also logged a year in graduate assistant roles at North Texas as well as Grambling State (FCS - LA) as well.
He will join a defensive staff led by first-year defensive coordinator Greer Martini, who was hired to coach the linebackers for the Broncos back in January of 2025 after a pair of seasons in the same role at Charlotte. Martini was selected as the team's new defensive by Taylor shortly after O'Leary's departure to the NFL.
Jackson replaces Seth Payne in Kalamazoo, who also held the co-defensive coordinator title for the Broncos before leaving to join the staff at Vanderbilt back in mid-February.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for all the latest.