Tajh Khiry Boyd (born September 25, 1990) is an American football coach and former quarterback who currently is an offensive assistant for the Clemson Tigers.[1] He played college football at Clemson, where he was the starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013. He earned first-team All-American honors in 2012. He was selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Tajh Boyd
refer to caption
Boyd during his tenure with Clemson
Clemson Tigers
Position:Offensive assistant
Personal information
Born: (1990-09-25) September 25, 1990 (age 34)
Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:222 lb (101 kg)
Career information
High school:Phoebus (Hampton, Virginia)
College:Clemson (2009–2013)
NFL draft:2014 / round: 6 / pick: 213
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
  • Clemson (2021–present)
    Offensive assistant
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Boyd attended Phoebus High School in Hampton, Virginia.[2] As a starter on the football team, he was 43–2 winning two state championships in that tenure. He was awarded the Pete Dawkins Trophy for being the co-MVP of the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl after completing 7-of-9 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns.[3]

College career

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Tajh Boyd scrambles during a 2013 game against the Maryland Terrapins.

After being redshirted for the 2009 season, Boyd spent the 2010 season as the backup quarterback to Kyle Parker. He finished the season completing 33-of-63 passes for 329 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Boyd took over as the starter in the 2011 season.[4] Boyd led the Tigers to a 10–4 record, winning the ACC Championship and setting up a game against West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. Although the Tigers lost the Orange Bowl in record fashion, 70–33, Boyd had a highly successful year. He finished the year completing 298-of-499 passes for 3,828 yards and 33 passing touchdowns. He also ran for 218 yards and five touchdowns.[5] He was also mentioned as a possible 2012 Heisman Trophy candidate.[6]

During his second year as a starter in the 2012 season, Boyd helped lead the Tigers to an 11–2 record, completing 287-of-427 passes for 3,896 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. On November 17, 2012, in a game against NC State, he broke the ACC record for most touchdowns in a game. Boyd threw five touchdown passes and ran for three more, collecting eight total touchdowns and racking up 529 all-purpose yards.[7] After the season, he was named the ACC Player of the Year and AFCA 1st team All-American.[8] In the 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl game against the LSU Tigers, Boyd completed 36 of 50 pass attempts for 346 yards and two passing touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown and was named the game's MVP.[9]

As a senior in 2013, the Tigers went 11–2, with Boyd completing 283-of-413 passes for 3,851 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. On November 14, 2013, Boyd set the ACC career passing touchdowns record.[10][11] In his final collegiate game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2014 Orange Bowl, Boyd helped lead the Tigers to a 40–35 victory, completing 31-of-40 passes for 378 yards and five passing touchdowns. He also had 127 rushing yards and a touchdown.[12] His performance set an Orange Bowl record for total yards in a game.[13]

Boyd finished his career with school records for passing yards with 11,904 and passing touchdowns with 107. He is currently the all-time leader in both of those categories.[14]

College statistics

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Season Team Passing Rushing
Cmp Att Yds Pct TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
2010 Clemson 33 63 329 52.4 4 3 107.7 23 33 1.4 1
2011 Clemson 298 499 3,828 59.7 33 12 141.2 142 218 1.5 5
2012 Clemson 287 427 3,896 67.2 36 13 165.6 186 514 2.8 10
2013 Clemson 283 413 3,851 68.5 34 11 168.7 154 400 2.6 10
Career 901 1,402 11,904 64.3 107 39 155.2 505 1,165 2.3 26

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 0+58 in
(1.84 m)
222 lb
(101 kg)
30+34 in
(0.78 m)
9+58 in
(0.24 m)
4.84 s 1.69 s 2.82 s 4.23 s 7.33 s 30.5 in
(0.77 m)
8 ft 10 in
(2.69 m)
All values from NFL Combine[15][16]

New York Jets

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Boyd was selected in the sixth round with the 213th overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft by the New York Jets.[17] Boyd was released by the team on August 30, 2014.[18]

Fall Experimental Football League

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Boyd signed with the Florida Blacktips of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) in September 2014. However, he later ended up playing for the Boston Brawlers that season.[19]

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Boyd signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 6, 2015, and was released by the team on August 18, 2015.[20][21]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

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Boyd signed a contract on September 12, 2015, to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL. He was released by the team on October 16, 2015.[22]

Montreal Alouettes

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Boyd signed a contract on November 7, 2015, with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He was released by the team on June 19, 2016.[23]

Coaching career

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On July 19, 2021, Boyd announced in an interview that he would return to Clemson as an assistant coach working with the offense.[1]

Personal life

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Boyd is a Christian.[24] His cousin, Darrell Roseman, was an offensive lineman at Auburn.[25]

On May 2, 2016, Boyd took a coaching position in the 100yds Football Academy.[26] Located in Greenville, South Carolina, the academy was part of 22 ft, a basketball academy that opened in 2013.[27] Boyd, and former Clemson Tiger running back Greg Hood, worked as a mentor and instructor in the football program. Both programs were later closed by 2018 after founder Michael Frawson pleaded guilty to fraud.[28]

On the evening of July 14, 2016, Boyd allegedly shoved a doorman at a bar in Greenville, South Carolina, due to being told that the bar was at full capacity. On September 6, 2016, Boyd was charged with assault and battery, and turned himself in to Greenville police. On September 21, 2016, Boyd appeared in court and the judge agreed to a resolution where Boyd would pay $5,000 restitution to the doorman and complete 40 hours of community service. Subsequently, the charges were dropped.[29]

Boyd worked in real estate before starting his coaching career.[30]

References

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  1. ^ a b Uva, Mike (July 19, 2021). "Exclusive: Tajh Boyd returning to Clemson to work on Tigers' coaching staff". FOX57. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "All-peninsula District Football". www.dailypress.com. Daily Press Media Group. November 9, 2008. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "Tajh Boyd, New York Jets, Dual-Threat Quarterback". 247Sports. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  4. ^ "Boyd shines in first year at starter for Tigers". The Augusta Chronicle. September 30, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  5. ^ Tajh Boyd. ESPN.com. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  6. ^ Heisman candidates Archived April 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Nationalfootballpost.com. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  7. ^ "Tajh Boyd accounts for 8 TDs as Clemson roughs up NC State". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 17, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  8. ^ Adelson, Andrea (November 28, 2012). "Boyd, Werner named players of the year". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "Clemson edges LSU on last-second field goal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 1, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Tajh Boyd sets record, launches Clemson past Georgia Tech in rout. ESPN.com. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  11. ^ Clemson's Tajh Boyd breaks ACC record in 55–31 win over Georgia Tech. Los Angeles Times. November 15, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  12. ^ Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins connect as Clemson rallies past Ohio State. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  13. ^ Reynolds, Tim.Clemson Tigers top Ohio State Buckeyes in the Orange Bowl Archived January 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. January 4, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  14. ^ "Clemson Tigers Passing Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  15. ^ "Tajh Boyd Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  16. ^ "Tajh Boyd, Clemson, QB, 2014 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "Tajh Boyd drafted 213th overall by New York Jets". NFL.com.
  18. ^ Lange, Randy (August 30, 2014). "Jets Make Final Cuts to Get to 53". New York Jets. Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  19. ^ Brenner, Aaron (November 4, 2014). "Former Clemson QB Tajh Boyd opens up in new blog". postandcourier.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  20. ^ Brown, Scott (March 6, 2015). "Pittsburgh Steelers sign QB Tajh Boyd". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  21. ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (August 18, 2015). "Steelers release quarterback Tajh Boyd". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  22. ^ "Former Clemson QB Tajh Boyd signs with CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Post and Courier". www.postandcourier.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015.
  23. ^ "MAKING MOVES: BUCKNOR AMONG BLUE BOMBERS CUTS". Canadian Football League website. June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  24. ^ "Clemson's Rock".
  25. ^ "#10 Tajh Boyd".
  26. ^ "Tajh Boyd part of new football academy in Greenville". tigernet.com. May 2, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  27. ^ "22 feet basketball academy - about us". 22ftusa.com. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  28. ^ "Owner of Basketball Academy Pleads Guilty to Visa Fraud". United States Department of Justice. United States Department of Justice. February 20, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  29. ^ Towers, Stephanie (September 21, 2016). "Tajh Boyd Appears in court after arrest earlier this month". WYFF News 4. WYFF.
  30. ^ "Tajh Boyd blends a tireless work ethic and 'team player' mentality on behalf of a new Clemson-based real estate development - Upstate Business Journal". Upstate Business Journal. February 15, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
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