The Program: Taylor brings versatile, dynamic skills to SJ-O football

ST.

JOSEPH Four months before the start of the football season, Shawn Skinner sat in his classroom on the first floor of St.

Joseph-Ogden High School.

It was a rainy afternoon in late April, with classes having just let out for the day.

But the Spartans football coach was already ruminating about the upcoming 2024 season.

Projecting what a high-octane SJ-O offense in 2023 could look like this fall.

With one key centerpiece involved in all the possible play-calls, formations and routes SJ-O could draw up this season.

One player the Spartans wanted to get the ball to early and often during each game.

That centerpiece, that one player? Coy Taylor.

Taylor isnt the biggest high school wide receiver.

He isnt the fastest.

He isnt the strongest.

The black goatee hes started sporting since the summer makes him look a bit older.

But the 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior still has boyish features attached to him, even if hes a savvy veteran by every definition when it comes to making the SJ-O football program hum.

We know what were getting out of Coy, SJ-O offensive coordinator Dalton Walsh said.

Lots of catches.

Lots of touchdowns.

Lots of times where hell have his hands on the ball.

Taylor hauled in 95 receptions for 1,342 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago, helping the Spartans reach the second round of the Class 3A playoffs and earn eight wins, the most for SJ-O since a 12-1 season in 2015.

The springboard to his successful junior season happened in Week 2.

Against rival Unity.

Underneath the Friday night lights at Hicks Field in Tolono, Taylor piled up the numbers with 13 receptions for 190 yards and a game-changing 35-yard pass midway through the fourth quarter off a trick play that sparked a dramatic 38-35 win by the Spartans.

It was a long game and youre thinking, When is the clock going to strike zero? Taylor said.

It gave us a lot of confidence because in Week 2, it was just like, Wow, we can really do something.

It just felt like we did something with that win.

As a team, we were all proud of ourselves.

No doubt Unity will know where No.

25 in an SJ-O uniform is lined up every time Taylor steps on the field this Friday night when the Spartans and Rockets renew their rivalry at 7 p.m.

at Dick Duval Field in St.

Joseph.

Despite the win last year against Unity, the Rockets have owned the series in recent years.

The last time these two programs met in St.

Joseph in 2022, Unity rolled to a 50-7 win and that came after a 33-8 Unity win during the fall 2021 season.

Two years ago when we hosted them here, it wasnt a good showing by us, Taylor said.

We dont want that to happen again, but we know coming off last year, theyre definitely going to be mad.

I hope the environment is crazy.

You always hope for that, and it should be like that.

Taylor lines up in the slot and out wide whenever SJ-O operates its spread offense.

He even got a few direct snaps out of the shotgun this past Saturday in SJ-Os 40-28 season-opening win at Monticello, finishing with four catches for 60 yards and one touchdown while adding seven carries for 64 rushing yards and one touchdown.

He also returns kickoffs and is the Spartans punter.

Hes gotten stronger, for sure, Walsh said.

Hes become more of a leader.

Were moving him around a little bit more, and he has a better grasp on the offense.

Being a senior out there where other guys can lean on for questions, he helps out the younger guys at the skill positions.

Even with all his gaudy statistics he has compiled so far as a three-year starter for the Spartans, one item is missing for Taylor: a college scholarship offer.

Its been a dream of mine since I was little to play college football, Taylor said.

Itd be really nice to have a college scholarship.

The football junkie who says his dream job would be to train NFL players in the offseason has taken visits to Butler and Valparaiso, along with one at Illinois.

When Iowa and Michigan stopped by SJ-O to check in on Spartans sophomore offensive lineman Cameron Wagner, Taylors name came up in conversation.

They said something about me, but they arent really on me, he said.

Theyve heard of me, I guess.

Taylor isnt just devoted to football at SJ-O, either.

He starts on the boys basketball team that won 27 games and reached a Class 2A sectional championship last winter.

A solid baseball player, too, he was likely going to fill a starting spot this past spring for coach Josh Haleys tradition-rich program, but opted to put all his efforts into football instead.

Going into the spring, I knew I was going to be going on a lot of practice visits to colleges, so Id be missing some baseball practices and games possibly, Taylor said.

I really just wanted to get stronger also after school and working out on the field.

I really wanted to play baseball, but I figured it would be best to take a break and just focus on football.

Taylor said he appreciated the bit of downtime he had this past spring, but plans on either playing baseball again or competing in track and field with the Spartans in 2025.

Ive got to do something, Taylor said.

Ever since Ive been young, Ive been doing three sports.

Ive always been active.

It felt weird, but it felt nice at the same time, too.

I definitely missed having baseball, but it also looks good when colleges see you doing three sports and always staying active.

Skinner said it took most of the SJ-O coaches by surprise when Taylor elected not to play baseball.

But he also understood the decision.

Its hard to be a three-sport athlete, Skinner said.

It consumes you at a level most people arent used to.

Some guys are good at two and dont play much in the third.

That cat has been playing and starting every year at a high level.

Some guys take a spring season off and they say theyre going to get faster and get stronger and do this.

Coy did.

His body changed.

Taylor is well-versed in the SJ-O athletic tradition, too, even before he first put on a Spartans uniform in his own high school career.

His older brother, Kolten, was a reserve on the Spartans boys basketball team that won a 2A state championship in 2016 before becoming a starter the following winter.

His older sister, Maclayne, was a successful multi-sport athlete at SJ-O who went on to play basketball in college at Lincoln Land and McKendree earlier this decade.

And his dad, Kevin, coached the SJ-O girls basketball team during four successful seasons, culminating with the Spartans placing third at the 2019 2A state tournament.

It was definitely nice seeing the 2016 team go to state in basketball, Coy said.

I was there for all of that.

Youd get chills watching that, and you dream to carry on that legacy.

Im blessed to be in this spot where I am now.

It all comes back to when I was a kid and seeing it all happen.

The legacy the Spartans sports teams puts on people, it leaves an impact on you to be better.

Thats what Coy Taylor will strive for this Friday night against Unity.

And every time he steps out on the field during the rest of the Spartans season.

He has plenty to play for a potential college scholarship, more impressive statistics and a deep postseason run are just three items that run through Taylors mind.

But he also realizes the role he has on this SJ-O football team and not wanting to minimize the opportunity he has in these next two months.

Its kind of like an awakening, Taylor said.

Its my last year to show what Ive got.

He already has displayed multiple skills in high school career and if Taylor gets a chance to do the same in college, his high school football coach expects success to follow.

Hes a guy that every NAIA and Division III school in the state wants, Skinner said.

If he wants to go to a bigger school, he may have to walk-on.

But wherever he goes, hell compete..

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