NFL great, UM DL coach Jason Taylor talks Canes and son Isaiah’s on-field anecdote
University of Miami defensive line coach, former Dolphins great and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jason Taylor wandered past the safeties Thursday on Greentree Field and saw his oldest child Isaiah making “a mistake.’’
“I jumped his butt a little bit,’’ Taylor told reporters. “Not bad, but he made a mistake and I happened to be in the area so, like I said, I’m an equal-opportunity coach... In a good way.”
He’s also introspective, so Taylor has written this down as a reminder during practice: “This is somebody else’s son.’’
Isaiah, a 21-year-old safety who transferred from Arizona to join the Canes before his fourth season, might be the “somebody else’s son” exception, but Taylor enjoys the relationship-building that comes with all his players and explained why he writes that on his script.
“Because we all have frustration,’’ Taylor said. “Sometimes we get frustrated and we get hot. We have emotions. We’re human. Everybody has their own style. I’ve seen coaches that are very quiet and chill during practice. Some guys get very fiery. Some guys yell and use words we don’t teach our young ones. Some guys don’t.
“I always think when you start getting frustrated and you feel like you’re not getting a point across, No. 1 you need to be introspective and look at yourself and say, ‘How can I teach this better?’
“When all else fails and... you want to lash out and blame somebody else or go off on somebody, remember, that’s somebody else’s son. How would you want your son treated in that situation? I’d want my son kicked in the derriere at times, but I’d also want him hugged and loved and mentored and shown why and shown some patience.”
Starting his second year as an on-field assistant, Taylor spoke about some of his linemen, most notably reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year Rueben Bain, who is “a little banged up,’’ coach Mario Cristobal said Tuesday, and missed Tuesday and Thursday practices.
Taylor, on the areas in which Bain can improve: “Everywhere. I congratulate him and then insult him. But he’s naturally born with an edge. He understands, he appreciates being applauded for his successes but he’s always trying to find something. He’s pushing me to hustle to the next drill in the transitions from period to period so he can start getting more pass-rushing work, more hand work.
“With Reuben in particular, he’s not resting on anything. He’s a pleasure to coach.
“How much better can he get? That’s up to him. You make the Pro Bowl one year, you gotta do more to get back. He understands he has to work extra hard because he’s going to get protections, he’s going to get slides, he’s going to get attention from the other teams. He’s not going to sneak up on anybody.”
More, from Taylor:
▪ On practicing with pads, as the Canes did Thursday: “Truthfully for us, full pads or shells doesn’t mean a thing. I tell the guys all the time when you go full pads vs. shells all you’re doing is putting on tight pants and some knee pads and you should never be on your knees anyway. You should be on your feet. For us it makes no difference. We’re physical whether we’re in spiders, shells or full pads.”
▪ On veteran transfers such as end Elijah Alston and tackles Marley Cook and CJ Clark: “It’s good we’ve had some success in the portal. Guys like EA coming in who has been in this system before at Marshall [under current UM coordinator Lance Guidry’s system], so again, taking away that learning curve and having a chance to work more on details and understanding second-level concepts.”
▪ On first impressions of 6-5, 230-pound true freshman/early enrollee Marquise Lightfoot, a five-star/four star signee out of Kenwood Academy in Chicago: Obviously everything we saw on film when we were chasing him up in Chicago. Very, very talented, twitchy, athletic, long. He’s got to learn to be on his own. He’s still 17 years old. He’s got to learn all the things of being a young adult: growing up, checking in, go to class, come back for meetings, do extra things — same process we all went through.
“He’s got a chance to be really good.’’
▪ On fifth-year senior end/tackle Akheem Mesidor, considered a high-level talent who was hampered by a foot injury last season and only played in three games: “Akheem is a heck of a ballplayer, and we look forward to getting him back on the grass. I think anybody who has watched him play before understands what he brings. He’s hungry, he’s driven, he’s determined, he’s a student of the game.
“That dude is in here all the time studying the game. He’s one of the players that will drive you nuts with questions: ‘Coach, what do we do against this formations, against that formation. What do we do if they come out in the wishbone. I’m like who the hell is running the wishbone in college? He wants to know everything about the full picture and that’s a good thing.”
