CHRIS BORLAND & MIKE TAYLOR
"I just enjoy being in the middle of every play, whether it's a run or pass,'' Taylor said. "You're hoping that it's going to come down to you making the play.''
Huxtable has years of training as a defensive coordinator and Taylor said that he has empha- sized, "Your steps, your keys, where your eyes are and believing in yourself.'' That belief has translated into those high tackle numbers. "I just enjoy being in the middle of every play, whether it's a run or pass,'' Taylor said. "You're hoping that it's going to come down to you mak- ing the play.''
That's the role of a linebacker in this scheme. "It's the amount of things that you're able to
22 » VARSITY DECEMBER 29, 2011
do,'' Borland said. "You can kind of get involved in every aspect of the defense. You blitz, you fill on the run, you play the pass. I enjoy the versatility.'' Taylor was an out-
standing high school wrestler, which also trans- lates to playing linebacker. "In wrestling, it's just you out there versus whoever — one-on-one — and there's no one else to rely on,'' Taylor said. "You can carry it over to football. "It just you out there and you have to do your job. "If you screw up, you
lose.''
» Beyond their big tackle num- bers, both Tay- lor (above, vs. Nebraska) and Borland (right, vs. Purdue) re- corded intercep- tions this season.
