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Just as reports began to circulate about Troy head coach Jon Sumrall agreeing to a contract extension with the school, Sumrall announced that he was elevating inside linebackers coach Tayler Polk to co-defensive coordinator.

Polk came to Troy last season after serving two seasons at Central Arkansas as outside linebackers coach in 2020 and linebackers coach in 2021. The young, high-energy coach will now serve as co-defensive coordinator alongside recently hired Greg Gasparato.

“TP is a vital part of our program and is a future coordinator,” Sumrall said of the decision. “He is complimenting what Greg’s vision is for our defense and helping bridge the gap between what we did last year to what we’re going to do this year.

“I have really high regard for his knowledge of the game, his relationship with his players and the energy he brings to everything he does. Tayler has had a tremendous, positive impact on our program in a year and a half, and he’s earned the elevated role.”

Polk, a Brandon, Miss., native, played linebacker at Ole Miss and started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma-mater in 2018 and 2019 before getting the job with Central Arkansas.

Additionally, Sumrall moved Brayden Berezowitz from director of player personnel to director of defensive recruiting and defensive analyst. Tight ends coach Evan McKissack was also given the title of director of offensive recruiting by Sumrall.

Berezowitz came to Troy with Sumrall after three seasons as a graduate assistant at Kentucky, where he played for the Wildcats for three seasons. McKissack was an All-Sun Belt offensive lineman at Troy and began his coaching career in the Wiregrass as an assistant coach at Enterprise High School and went onto to coach at Georgia powerhouse Colquitt County before becoming an offensive line coach at Kentucky and then tight ends coach at Murray State.