Know Your Pittsburgh Power: Terrance Taylor
By Matt Popchock
The Pittsburgh Power will begin their second season in the Arena Football League in just a little over two months, and training camp will be here before we know it.
Therefore, to prepare you for the approaching campaign, we'll use this brand-new, hastily-assembled feature of our website to help you get to know your team a little more intimately.
We'll randomly select a couple players a week to profile, and today we'll begin with defensive lineman Terrance Taylor.
Why Terrance? Because after Michigan's overtime win over Virginia Tech in Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl, nobody on the team will be smiling as broadly as he is in the above photo.
Taylor (6'0", 319 lbs.), a 25-year-old Muskegon, Mich. native, played for the Wolverines, starting at nose guard for his final three seasons and earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2007. The following year he co-captained a Michigan squad that went on to win the Capital One Bowl, and finished his college career with 104 tackles, including 17.5 for loss, and 6.5 sacks over three whole seasons.
In 2009 he was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round as part of a class that included current receiver Austin Collie and Indianapolis' current punter, former Plum and WVU product Pat McAfee.
Two years after bouncing around between the Colts, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions without seeing regular season NFL action, Taylor was assigned to the defending ArenaBowl champion Spokane Shock. He made nine tackles (seven solo), one INT, and 1.5 sacks in six games with the Shock before being dealt to the Power May 29, 2011.
Taylor debuted with the Power in Week 14 of the 2011 season, a 62-55 loss to the host Tampa Bay Storm June 11. In four appearances with Pittsburgh last year he made six tackles (four solo) and one sack. He is one of four players the Power have brought over from Spokane in the past year.
In addition to his limited duty on the line, Taylor also got some reps as a gunner on special teams last year; his field goal block in the second half of a crucial game against East Division rival Milwaukee helped the Power edge the visiting Mustangs 39-38 on June 25, 2011. He could potentially see an increase in playing time on both fronts this season.
WERE YOU AWARE? Taylor not only led Muskegon High School to a Class A state championship in football, earning EA Sports All-American honors in the process, but he was also the state heavyweight wrestling champion as a senior.
The Power open their 2012 season Mar. 9 on the road against the Orlando Predators, then return to Pittsburgh Mar. 23 to face the Philadelphia Soul in the first of nine regular season home games at CONSOL Energy Center. Click here for more information, including TV listings.
(Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/mpopchock)
