Redshirt senior linebacker Grandville Taylor watches for a snap during a special teams drill in practice on April 4. Taylor is hoping to work into the starting lineup for the Sun Devils in his last season. (Photo by Edmund J. Hubbard)While football is often perceived as a physical battle on the field, there is another aspect of the game that is commonly overlooked.
A player’s mental approach to the game can be that ‘x-factor’ that separates him from his fellow teammates.
Redshirt senior linebacker Grandville Taylor is fortunate to have both.
“I’ll tell you what, Grandville is a really, really smart individual,” co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Paul Randolph said. “He was the one that accepted his role last year as a teamer, busted his ever-living tail and was one of our best special teamers down the stretch during the season."
This season, Randolph said Taylor has a shot to play more than just special teams.
“Now he’s working his tail off trying to vie for that vacant,‘Will,’ (linebacker) spot that Brandon Magee left open," Randolph said. "He has some intangibles, which are really good.”
As a senior, Taylor realizes it’s his last time to step up and make an impact as a Sun Devil. The opportunity is his for the taking.
“I definitely feel I need to step up as a leader on this team,” Taylor said. “I do feel like off the field I am a leader on this team, and I just need to let the coaches start to know that and step into this role, whatever role it is that they need me at.”
In 2012, Taylor played in all 13 games and recorded 18 tackles, 13 of them being solo.
His breakout performance came on the biggest stage of the Sun Devils’ season.
Taylor recorded a career-best eight tackles and first tackle for loss on the season in the Sun Devils 62-28 victory over Navy in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
The performance has become a base for Taylor to build off of and push him forward into 2013.
“Coach (Todd) Graham and our coaching staff, they’re giving me a great opportunity right now and I’m just trying to take advantage of it,” Taylor said. “I know I got to just elevate my play all around. … It’s not one thing that I feel I’m just the best at, so I’m just trying to get better every day.”
As an original walk-on athlete back in 2009, Taylor spent his rookie season at ASU as a redshirt on the scout team.
While Taylor saw limited playing time in his first eligible season in 2010, he made sure to keep school a priority and his GPA high.
His perseverance in school combined with his hard work on the football field enabled Graham to present Taylor with an academic scholarship in August of 2012, becoming his first and only scholarship during his college career.
Now, instead of worrying how he is going to eat throughout the day, this spring presents a different aspect for him as a student athlete.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
