Taylor Burks Named Interim Centennial Football Coach

Taylor Burks has been named Centennial’s interim football coach after former coach Jay Graham was arrested Wednesday in a prostitution sting involving fictional teens.

Burks was promoted from assistant coach and was Independence’s defensive coordinator last season.

Twelve years ago, Burks was promoted to head coach at Hillwood after serving as interim coach. He went 1-19 in the 2013-2014 season. Centennial visits Nolensville (5-2, 2-0 Region 5-5A) tonight.

After being arrested in a joint Metro Nashville Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation sting, Graham was charged with patronizing prostitution with a minor and solicitation of a minor for aggravated statutory rape. He was fired from his coaching position and suspended without pay from his teaching position and isn’t allowed on campus.

Graham went 2-4 overall and 0-1 in 5-5A in six games with the Cougars. His arrest was a stunning ending to his stint at Centennial after being hired in early March.

Graham, 50, was a star running back at Tennessee, where he rushed for 2,609 yards from 1993-96, ranking eighth in school history. He rushed for 25 touchdowns. During his last three seasons, Graham played alongside quarterback Peyton Manning.

Graham played in the NFL for five seasons with Baltimore, Seattle and Green Bay from 1997-99 and 2001-02.

He was an assistant coach at Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee-Martin, Miami (Ohio), South Carolina, Florida State, Texas A&M, Alabama and East Tennessee State before moving to the high school ranks recently.