Talley looking forward to big opportunity at Weber State

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

On Corbin Talley’s final day of coaching the Davis High School track team, his boys and girls squads both won Utah state titles with make-or-break points in the 4x400 relays at the end of the meet.

“I couldn’t believe how fun and excited I was,” Talley said. “What a great way to go out.”

Talley, a popular and charismatic teacher and coach at the Kaysville, Utah school for 14 years, begins a new role as coach of the men’s cross country and track and field teams at his alma mater – Weber State University – officially starting next Monday.

It’s a transition that Talley has been considering for some time. He applied for an assistant’s job at Weber State three years ago but didn’t get it.

“I’ve enjoyed these three years,” Talley said. “I feel fortunate to have gotten these years (at Davis) and then landed my dream job.”

That didn’t make the team meeting Talley held with Davis athletes on Tuesday morning, as the university was preparing to release news of his hire, any easier. Talley’s coaching partner at Davis, Brad Anderson, is also moving on to other things. TALLEY & ANDERSON INTERVIEW

“It was hard,” said Talley, who coached 11 of his cross country teams to Nike Cross Nationals since 2007. “There were tears from athletes and tears from me. I tried to tell them that things will work out. I reassured those kids that they’ll be alright. They’ll be tough and work hard.”

Talley coached at Davis for 14 years and was in charge of both the boys and girls programs the past 10 years. Three times – 2012, 2013 and 2014 – Davis advanced both its girls and boys teams to NXN. His cross country and track teams won a combined 23 Utah Class 5A titles.

In his new role, Talley will return to a program that last made it to the NCAA Cross Country Championships during his senior season, 2002.

He said that his years at Davis had prepared him to coach at the collegiate level.

“For one, I feel like I understand high school athletes as I (begin to) recruit them,” Talley said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with high school athletes and helped them prepare to transition into college. High school track and field and cross country has given me a passion and fire for coaching and wanting athletes to succeed. I want to keep that same fire going with college athletes. It’s another level of seriousness, a lot more work, maybe even some more pressure.”

Talley views Weber State as a sleeping giant with first-class facilities, easy access to mountain trails and proximity to talented recruits.

“There are a lot of talented athletes in Utah and the surrounding states,” he said. “Weber State is a hidden gem. I don’t think people realize how special the school is, nestled against the mountains, the trails are incredible, you’ve got altitude training, and nice resources and facilities.”

Talley will coach alongside Paul Pilkington, who is shifting roles and will coach the women’s teams at Weber State.

As for Davis, Talley said his former assistant, Paul Timothy is moving into the head cross country coaching job.