Taylor taking his football skills to Quincy University

T.J. Taylor committed to play football at Quincy University. Seated beside him is his mother, Mary Jones. Standing in back are West Hancock defensive coordinator Darrin Bozzola and West Hancock football head coach Don Capaldo.

T.J. Taylor, a standout football player for three seasons with the West Hancock Titans, made his college choice official Wednesday, March 12.

Taylor signed with Quincy University, an NAIA program which competes in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League. He chose Quincy University over Culver-Stockton, Canton, Mo., St. Ambrose, Davenport, and McKendree College (Lebanon).

“It's an honor to go and play football for them and work with their coaches,” Taylor said. “(Head coach Bill Terlinser and linebacker coach Randy Dickens) were great people. I thought they were very intelligent coaches. I watched their schemes, and we saw video on them. I thought their scheme was probably the best fit for me.”

Taylor made an impact on both sides of the ball during his high school career with West Hancock. He recorded 148 solo tackles, including 22 tackles for a loss as a three-year starter at linebacker. On the offensive end, Taylor started two seasons at fullback and rushed for consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. He is the Titans' career rushing leader in yards with 2,342, and touchdowns with 37.

He was named to the Class 3A All-State team his junior season, the only junior named to the team.

“No player at West Hancock had more heart,” said West Hancock coach Don Capaldo. “The intangible about T.J. is he never gives up, he never quits. He sees a whole lot of the field when he runs the ball, and he stings you when he plays linebacker. He's just going to be a great addition to the QU football program.”

Taylor will play on the defensive side of the ball at Quincy in a style similar to the one he played in high school.

“They're a little different in terms of formations, obviously because the higher you go, the more complex the systems are,” Taylor said. “They are very aggressive, and we also were an aggressive defense. We liked to blitz and by the looks of it, they like to blitz also. I thought that was going to help me quite a bit.”

Taylor would like to play inside linebacker, but he knows his size (5-10, 195 pounds his senior season with West Hancock) may prevent him from doing that early on.

What he lacks in size, he makes up for in other areas.

“My biggest strengths are my eyes and being able to read opposing offenses really well,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, we can say my speed and my strength.”

Taylor used the word hopefully because he is recovering from surgery to his right ankle in February. He doesn't expect the ankle to be a problem when he joins the Quincy University football program.

“In the second round of the playoffs my junior year, a kid helped tear some ligaments in my ankle,” Taylor said. “We waited until after the football season, and the day after Valentine's Day I had surgery on it. The doctor said it should be 100 percent, and I should be getting up and ready to run by summer. It should be a fun time getting back into shape.”

Capaldo only had the opportunity to coach Taylor for one season, but he is looking forward to seeing what Taylor does over the next four years at Quincy University.

“T.J.'s getting an opportunity we all hoped for,” Capaldo said. “He has an opportunity to play college football and pursue a career in education at a great university. It's going to be a real good fit, not only for T.J., but for Quincy University. He'll be a role model for all the student athletes there. No one will ever question his resolve and doing what he needs to do to make himself better and make the team better.

“I'm kind of anxious to see him play and also interested to see him graduate and get into our profession and see how he works with young people. He wants to become a special education teacher and those are special people to begin with. I wish him the best, and I'm really happy for him.”