Jason Taylor Talks Coaching Style, Adjusting to Recruiting

When defensive ends coach Rod Wright left Miami for a position with the Houston Texans, an on-field coaching slot opened up. Head coach Mario Cristobal didn’t have to look far to fill this vacancy.

 UM defensive analyst Jason Taylor was named an on-field coach shortly after Wright’s departure. After Miami’s first spring practice of the spring, Cristobal noted that Taylor’s title is “defensive line” coach.

Taylor has an extensive coaching history, most notably as a defensive coordinator on national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) High School’s coaching staff. He also coached little league football before his five seasons with the Raiders. 

“I’m all about coaching them hard and loving them harder. We have a standard. You clearly define the boundaries, the lines, what you expect, the standard of work, the standard of expectations. Clearly define what the job is, what they have to do, how we’re gonna do it and then I’m really big on why we do it that way,” the NFL Hall of Famer said about his coaching philosophy. “Not just telling them what to do but explaining that full picture makes them better football players. We’re gonna lay it all out, be very clearly defined and we’re gonna coach the heck out of them and we’re gonna coach them hard. And we’re gonna push and demand and push and demand and push and demand and then we’re gonna love them even more, and we’re gonna have fun doing it.”

Taylor, who was a four-year letterman at Akron before his 15-year professional playing career, wants his players to seize the opportunity to play college football.

“They got four years to do this, five years at best to enjoy a lifelong dream. I’m not gonna be that person that wastes a day of their dream messing around,” Taylor said. “They might waste one but I’m not gonna waste one. I’m not gonna let them waste one.”

One of the biggest adjustments that Taylor has had to make as an on-field position coach has been in recruiting. He handled some recruiting duties as an analyst last season, but these obligations have increased greatly as a position coach.

“It’s interesting,” Taylor said. “I’m used to being the one that doesn’t text people back right away or doesn’t call people back and you get to blame it on your gold jacket or whatever and think that you can take your time replying so I know feel what people reach out to me sometimes feel. It ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun, but it’s part of it … Most of the kids have been great. Families have been great. We still have to go out and work and out-compete and out-recruit every other school in the nation to get what we need to turn this program to where it needs to be.”

Taylor will share recruiting responsibilities with fellow defensive line coach and associate head coach Joe Salave’a, who is credited as the primary recruiter for 2023 signees Francis Mauigoa, Jayden Wayne and Joshua Horton.