Western Michigan extends coach Lance Taylor through 2030

Field Level Media|published: Mon 8th December, 18:03 2025

Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor, center, watches a play against Michigan State during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Friday, August 29, 2025.

Fresh off winning the 2025 MAC Championship in his third season at the helm, Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor agreed to a five-year contract extension Monday that will keep him with the Broncos through the 2030 season.

The Detroit News first reported that Taylor's new contract will pay him $1.2 million annually. He signed a five-year deal in December 2022 at $850,000 per season.

Taylor, 44, led Western Michigan to a 9-4 season after compiling a 10-15 record through his first two seasons at the school. The Broncos will play in a bowl game for the second straight season, facing Kennesaw State in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec. 19.

"Lance Taylor has brought a culture of excellence to the Bill Brown Alumni Football Center that is reflected in the program's marked improvement in all areas since the start of his tenure," vice president/director of athletics Dan Bartholomae said in a press release. "While the competitive accolades speak for themselves, Coach Taylor leads with heart and has shown a commitment to the development of our athletes as people, in the classroom and in the community."

Named the 2025 MAC Coach of the Year, Taylor guided the Broncos to seven regular-season conference wins, one shy of the team's 8-0 conference record in 2016. Western Michigan also produced the conference's Offensive (QB Broc Lowry) and Defensive (DE Nadame Tucker) Players of the Year.

"I'm honored and excited to continue leading the Broncos," Taylor said in a press release. "Western Michigan University is a truly special place, and the culture we're building here is rooted in effort, attitude, and toughness. I'm incredibly proud of our staff, our players, and everyone in this program who shows up every day committed to those standards."

Taylor began his coaching career at his alma mater, Alabama in 2007. He ascended to the pro ranks as an assistant with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before returning to the college sidelines at Stanford (2014-16). After a stint at Notre Dame, he was named offensive coordinator at Louisville in 2022 and took the WMU position after one season with the Cardinals.

--Field Level Media