Senior DE is ready to use his new size and strength to set sack records for the Gamecocks.
Devin Taylor will walk onto the field today 20 pounds heavier than he was when he began the 2011 football season.
“He’s a tall, big guy now instead of a tall, skinny guy,” coach Steve Spurrier said.
That bulk was the focus on Taylor’s final offseason with the team, an offseason he thought he’d never see. Entering 2011, Taylor was 75 percent convinced it would be his final season with South Carolina’s football team, he said. Even after the season, he still believed he was headed to the NFL.
However, after being projected as a third round or later NFL draft pick, Taylor changed his mind and then set it to adding strength and heft to his 6-foot-8 frame.
“I have progressed tremendously, a lot more than what I thought I was going to do,” he said
.
In addition to the weight, Taylor has added strength, boosting his bench press by 30 pounds and his squat by 40 pounds.
“I wanted to keep those maintained because that’s one thing you can’t lose,” Taylor said. “You have to work on it to get better.”
Size was about the only thing Taylor needed to add during the offeseason, Gamecocks defensive line coach Brad Lawing said.
“He came back to get bigger, which he needs to do, and he came back because he loves South Carolina and he wants to help us win,” Lawing said. “Devin Taylor is a great Gamecock.”
And mostly a finished product. The senior from Beaufort spent preseason camp “fine-tuning skills,” Lawing said.
“He’s had a real good preseason, and I expect him to have an outstanding season,” Lawing said.
Taylor had 13.5 sacks in the past two seasons (7.5 in 2010 and six last season) and is tied for fifth in school history with 15.5 career sacks. If he matches last year’s numbers, he will finish his career among the top three in school history in sacks. If he has the kind of season he hopes, he could challenge Eric Norwood’s school record of 29.
“Hopefully, I can get around double digit sacks, a pick or two somewhere in there, a fumble recovery, something like that,” Taylor said.
Taylor was tabbed second-team preseason All-SEC by the league’s coaches and media as well as Phil Steele and Athlon. Lawing won’t measure Taylor’s impact in sacks, though.
“We talk about affecting the quarterback,” Lawing said. “A good gauge is one sack for every 10 passes, so if you have 50 passes in a game and you have five sacks, a lot of people say that’s a good game, but what happened the other 45 times they threw the football? Affecting the quarterback is the most important thing.”
Taylor did plenty of that last year, tying for the team high with six quarterback hurries, breaking up two passes and intercepting one, which he returned 48 yards for a touchdown.
“Devin a great athlete, great player,” said cornerback Jimmy Legree, who went to Beaufort High with Taylor. “He’s just real smart on the field, smart off the field as well. He just knows his assignment and plays it well.” http://www.gogamecocks.com/2012/08/30/276002/the-new-and-improved-devin-taylor.html#storylink=omni_popular
DEVIN TAYLOR
POSITION: Defensive end
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-8, 267
CLASS: Senior
HOMETOWN: Beaufort
KEY STATS: Played in 39 games over past three seasons (32 starts). ... credited with 116 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. ... Ranks among Gamecocks’ career top 10 in sacks (tied for 5th) and tackles for loss (tied for 9th). ... Earned All-SEC honors in each of the past two seasons.
Devin Taylor will walk onto the field today 20 pounds heavier than he was when he began the 2011 football season.
“He’s a tall, big guy now instead of a tall, skinny guy,” coach Steve Spurrier said.
That bulk was the focus on Taylor’s final offseason with the team, an offseason he thought he’d never see. Entering 2011, Taylor was 75 percent convinced it would be his final season with South Carolina’s football team, he said. Even after the season, he still believed he was headed to the NFL.
However, after being projected as a third round or later NFL draft pick, Taylor changed his mind and then set it to adding strength and heft to his 6-foot-8 frame.
“I have progressed tremendously, a lot more than what I thought I was going to do,” he said
.
In addition to the weight, Taylor has added strength, boosting his bench press by 30 pounds and his squat by 40 pounds.
“I wanted to keep those maintained because that’s one thing you can’t lose,” Taylor said. “You have to work on it to get better.”
Size was about the only thing Taylor needed to add during the offeseason, Gamecocks defensive line coach Brad Lawing said.
“He came back to get bigger, which he needs to do, and he came back because he loves South Carolina and he wants to help us win,” Lawing said. “Devin Taylor is a great Gamecock.”
And mostly a finished product. The senior from Beaufort spent preseason camp “fine-tuning skills,” Lawing said.
“He’s had a real good preseason, and I expect him to have an outstanding season,” Lawing said.
Taylor had 13.5 sacks in the past two seasons (7.5 in 2010 and six last season) and is tied for fifth in school history with 15.5 career sacks. If he matches last year’s numbers, he will finish his career among the top three in school history in sacks. If he has the kind of season he hopes, he could challenge Eric Norwood’s school record of 29.
“Hopefully, I can get around double digit sacks, a pick or two somewhere in there, a fumble recovery, something like that,” Taylor said.
Taylor was tabbed second-team preseason All-SEC by the league’s coaches and media as well as Phil Steele and Athlon. Lawing won’t measure Taylor’s impact in sacks, though.
“We talk about affecting the quarterback,” Lawing said. “A good gauge is one sack for every 10 passes, so if you have 50 passes in a game and you have five sacks, a lot of people say that’s a good game, but what happened the other 45 times they threw the football? Affecting the quarterback is the most important thing.”
Taylor did plenty of that last year, tying for the team high with six quarterback hurries, breaking up two passes and intercepting one, which he returned 48 yards for a touchdown.
“Devin a great athlete, great player,” said cornerback Jimmy Legree, who went to Beaufort High with Taylor. “He’s just real smart on the field, smart off the field as well. He just knows his assignment and plays it well.” http://www.gogamecocks.com/2012/08/30/276002/the-new-and-improved-devin-taylor.html#storylink=omni_popular
DEVIN TAYLOR
POSITION: Defensive end
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-8, 267
CLASS: Senior
HOMETOWN: Beaufort
KEY STATS: Played in 39 games over past three seasons (32 starts). ... credited with 116 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. ... Ranks among Gamecocks’ career top 10 in sacks (tied for 5th) and tackles for loss (tied for 9th). ... Earned All-SEC honors in each of the past two seasons.