University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Humble Leader
Sep 10, 2019 | Football
Patrick Taylor Jr.'s selflessness a big key in the Tigers' success.
Note: This feature story on Patrick Taylor Jr. first appeared in the Aug. 31 Memphis Football GameDay program.
There's a question that's been plaguing 12 defensive coordinators in the off-season as the 2019 campaign approached. The question is: how to stop or slow down Patrick Taylor Jr.?
When that question was posed to a couple of Taylor's defensive teammates and an assistant coach, the responses offered little or no help at all.
Senior linebacker Austin Hall (shrugs shoulders; shaking his head): "I don't know. That's a hard question."
Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller (laughing): "Get really big people in front of him and really fast people around him."
And then there's sophomore defensive lineman Braylon Brown (wry smile): "I'd try tying his shoes together to keep him from running so fast, so hard. That may not work either because he could just hop through everyone. I don't know, maybe turn his helmet around so he can't see."
While opponents may have difficulty finding ways to slow Taylor down, the Japanese transit system did not have a problem when he recently visited his sister, Nadia, who played in the Japan Softball League.
"It was tough," said Taylor, who is from Houston. "I flew from Houston to LA, and then from LA to Shenyang, China, to Nagoya, Japan. Once I got to Nagoya, I then had to get on a train.
"My dad printed out instructions for me, and they told me to get off at the first stop. I got off at the first stop, looked around and said, 'Where's my sister?'.
"I didn't have any wifi. I got back on another train that was passing through. Then a guy saw me and noticed I was trying to find which way to go. He came over to help. He really didn't speak good English. But I told him I was trying to get to Ōgaki Station, where my sister was going to pick me up. He told me to get on another train, and where to get off.
"At this point, I was kind of nervous and feeling like I'm going to be lost in Japan. I ended up getting to my sister."
So, are opposing defenses are easier to navigate than the Japanese trains?
"Yes, absolutely!" said Taylor.
That's been the only way that Taylor has been remotely slowed down since coming to Memphis. Entering his senior campaign in 2019, Taylor's name appears on several career charts, including rushing yards (4th), rushing touchdowns (4th), 100-yard rushing games (5th), all-purpose yards (8th) and most touchdowns scored (4th). He tied a program single-game record with four touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory at Houston in 2017.
In 2018, Taylor became only the fifth running back in program history to rush for 1,000 in a season. He also teamed with Darrell Henderson to become the first duo in school history to each run for 1,000 yards in a campaign. Taylor was a part of the ground attack that set program records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns for a season.
It would be easy for Taylor to rest on his laurels and head into his final campaign on cruise control. However, that's not in Taylor's character. He's driven to improve.
"I just focus on being the best version of myself," said Taylor. "Being able to help the team any way that I can and helping us win games."
Many would think that Taylor improved in the off-season by increasing his footspeed or working on his agility. The coaches, however, challenged Taylor to improve in an area most fans overlook for a running back.
"He's the bell cow. He's who we have to get the ball to," said head coach Mike Norvell. "We need to make sure we get him started and rolling. But I'm more proud with what he's doing without the ball in his hands. His protections, when he has to block. Those are the things that really show up, and he's done a great job."
Running backs coach Anthony Jones agreed, "He's focused hard on pass protection this off-season. He's become a more complete back. He watches tons of film and tries to be more knowledgeable of the game."
Taylor was up to the test. And not only to better his game, but also to help the team.
"The thing I worked on most was my pass-blocking and pass protection," Taylor said. "Understanding who I have in certain pass protections. Being more physical in pass protection.
"My main goal is that I want to be a complete back. For me to be a complete back, I have to be selfless. I have to think about the team and what the team needs from me. What the team needs is for me to be a better pass blocker and be a reliable pass protector."
Taylor's selflessness extends off the field and is an extension of his family and his faith. He is a Tiger Scholar in the classroom and is active in the community. Taylor is driven to give back because of his deep Christian belief.
"God has given me the great gift of salvation and eternal life, so I have to live my life for Him," said Taylor, who leads a Bible study with his teammates. "With all the abilities and the platform He's given me in football, I have no choice but to glorify Him in everything that I do and give thanks to Him every day."
Taylor's strong faith is so evident that it attracts his teammates and is noticed by his coaches.
"Patrick is an unbelievable person," said Jones. "His family background, his humility, his faith has taken him to where he is right now. Not only does he lead through his words but also by his actions. He does the right things around campus and the other guys follow his lead."
Norvell added, "He's a great young man, a phenomenal person, first and foremost. And he's a great player. He's the total package. He's got a servant's heart. He loves to give back, and he loves to make an impact. I'm grateful I get the opportunity to be around him every day."
There's a question that's been plaguing 12 defensive coordinators in the off-season as the 2019 campaign approached. The question is: how to stop or slow down Patrick Taylor Jr.?
When that question was posed to a couple of Taylor's defensive teammates and an assistant coach, the responses offered little or no help at all.
Senior linebacker Austin Hall (shrugs shoulders; shaking his head): "I don't know. That's a hard question."
Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller (laughing): "Get really big people in front of him and really fast people around him."
And then there's sophomore defensive lineman Braylon Brown (wry smile): "I'd try tying his shoes together to keep him from running so fast, so hard. That may not work either because he could just hop through everyone. I don't know, maybe turn his helmet around so he can't see."
While opponents may have difficulty finding ways to slow Taylor down, the Japanese transit system did not have a problem when he recently visited his sister, Nadia, who played in the Japan Softball League.
"It was tough," said Taylor, who is from Houston. "I flew from Houston to LA, and then from LA to Shenyang, China, to Nagoya, Japan. Once I got to Nagoya, I then had to get on a train.
"My dad printed out instructions for me, and they told me to get off at the first stop. I got off at the first stop, looked around and said, 'Where's my sister?'.
"I didn't have any wifi. I got back on another train that was passing through. Then a guy saw me and noticed I was trying to find which way to go. He came over to help. He really didn't speak good English. But I told him I was trying to get to Ōgaki Station, where my sister was going to pick me up. He told me to get on another train, and where to get off.
"At this point, I was kind of nervous and feeling like I'm going to be lost in Japan. I ended up getting to my sister."
So, are opposing defenses are easier to navigate than the Japanese trains?
"Yes, absolutely!" said Taylor.
That's been the only way that Taylor has been remotely slowed down since coming to Memphis. Entering his senior campaign in 2019, Taylor's name appears on several career charts, including rushing yards (4th), rushing touchdowns (4th), 100-yard rushing games (5th), all-purpose yards (8th) and most touchdowns scored (4th). He tied a program single-game record with four touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory at Houston in 2017.
In 2018, Taylor became only the fifth running back in program history to rush for 1,000 in a season. He also teamed with Darrell Henderson to become the first duo in school history to each run for 1,000 yards in a campaign. Taylor was a part of the ground attack that set program records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns for a season.
It would be easy for Taylor to rest on his laurels and head into his final campaign on cruise control. However, that's not in Taylor's character. He's driven to improve.
"I just focus on being the best version of myself," said Taylor. "Being able to help the team any way that I can and helping us win games."
Many would think that Taylor improved in the off-season by increasing his footspeed or working on his agility. The coaches, however, challenged Taylor to improve in an area most fans overlook for a running back.
"He's the bell cow. He's who we have to get the ball to," said head coach Mike Norvell. "We need to make sure we get him started and rolling. But I'm more proud with what he's doing without the ball in his hands. His protections, when he has to block. Those are the things that really show up, and he's done a great job."
Running backs coach Anthony Jones agreed, "He's focused hard on pass protection this off-season. He's become a more complete back. He watches tons of film and tries to be more knowledgeable of the game."
Taylor was up to the test. And not only to better his game, but also to help the team.
"The thing I worked on most was my pass-blocking and pass protection," Taylor said. "Understanding who I have in certain pass protections. Being more physical in pass protection.
"My main goal is that I want to be a complete back. For me to be a complete back, I have to be selfless. I have to think about the team and what the team needs from me. What the team needs is for me to be a better pass blocker and be a reliable pass protector."
Taylor's selflessness extends off the field and is an extension of his family and his faith. He is a Tiger Scholar in the classroom and is active in the community. Taylor is driven to give back because of his deep Christian belief.
"God has given me the great gift of salvation and eternal life, so I have to live my life for Him," said Taylor, who leads a Bible study with his teammates. "With all the abilities and the platform He's given me in football, I have no choice but to glorify Him in everything that I do and give thanks to Him every day."
Taylor's strong faith is so evident that it attracts his teammates and is noticed by his coaches.
"Patrick is an unbelievable person," said Jones. "His family background, his humility, his faith has taken him to where he is right now. Not only does he lead through his words but also by his actions. He does the right things around campus and the other guys follow his lead."
Norvell added, "He's a great young man, a phenomenal person, first and foremost. And he's a great player. He's the total package. He's got a servant's heart. He loves to give back, and he loves to make an impact. I'm grateful I get the opportunity to be around him every day."
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