OSU’s Taylor delivers in clutch spots
Safety has a history of proving doubters wrong
STILLWATER — Tex Rollins was absolutely convinced Jason Taylor II’s big feet would slow him down.
No way Taylor could run track at Carl Albert High School.
Rollins, the Titans’ legendary coach, insisted Taylor give something else a try. Perhaps the high jump. He could always throw the discus or shot put.
Then a freshman bursting out of his old, too-small shoes, Taylor wasn’t buying it.
“Coach, I want to be on the relay teams,” Taylor said each time Rollins balked.
Rollins relented.
He had Taylor return the next day with Under Armour shoes donated by former Carl Albert great and current Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto. Those Size 13s fit.
By the end of that practice, Taylor was on all three relay teams.
“I guess, you can’t judge by looking at their feet and how big they are — not with a kid like Jason Taylor,” Rollins said. He laughed.
“You tell him he can’t do it and he’ll get it done.”
That’s the summation of Taylor. Dating back to his high school days, Taylor has been an unassuming person with an extremely competitive nature. He’s been doubted over and over.
But he still delivers the big play at the exact right moment.
Now, he’s getting his chance to show that for Oklahoma State. As the Cowboys
prepare to host Kansas State at 6 p.m. Saturday in their Big 12 opener, Taylor’s opportunity has officially arrived.
“I feel like that’s how it’s been at every level I’ve played at,” Taylor said. “They don’t think that I’m going to be able to do the things that I do and they don’t understand how I do the things that I do, and I just have to go out there and show it.”
Taylor is now a starting safety — replacing Tre Sterling, who suffered a season-ending injury — and not just the fillin safety and key special teams playmaker.
He’s coming off the win at Boise State with four total tackles and one quarterback hurry, plus the game-saving fieldgoal block, earning the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
Last season, Taylor even returned a fumble for a touchdown against Kansas State. He also returned an onside kick for a touchdown against TCU.
“Boy for real, ain’t he?” OSU star safety Kolby Harvell-Peel said. “I feel like a proud father. That’s my dog. That’s my roommate. When we came in (together), you could just see how talented he was.”
Taylor wasted little time becoming a star at Carl Albert.
As a sophomore, he took over a safety position in the first scrimmage at Putnam City. Johnny Bizzell, a junior, was injured, which allowed Taylor to start.
He never let go of the position.
“Immediately when Jason hits the field, it is obvious as a sophomore — he’s probably 160 pounds then — is a running, jumping, play-making dude,” legendary Carl Albert football coach Gary Rose said.
By Taylor’s junior season, he’s also playing receiver part-time. In the Class 5A state championship game, Taylor broke up McGuinness’ fourth-down pass into the end zone with less than a minute remaining to seal the title in Rose’s final season.
The next year, Taylor became The Oklahoman’s All-State Defensive Player of the Year with 48 tackles and nine interceptions. He also totaled 18 touchdowns on offense — as a receiver and wildcat quarterback — in an undefeated season.
“Athletically, he’s right up there at the top,” former Titans head coach Mike Corley said. “I’ve had a lot of good ones. It’s hard to say who’s the best, but he’s definitely in the top echelon.”
That’s why nothing surprises those close to Taylor.
Rose, Corley, Rollins and other coaches regularly discuss the latest big play by Taylor. They recall the numerous star moments he had in a Titans uniform.
Now, 6 feet and 215 pounds, Taylor looks quite different from those days. But he’s still the same playmaker. “Just flying to the ball, trying to get to it,” Taylor said. “Feeling the flow of the game. I feel like that’s football. If you play football instead of worrying about the Xs and Os and just play football, you’ll find the ball.”