An outstanding football player ... Has a chance to be one of the top linebackers in the country if he bounces back from ankle surgery ... Took the time away from contact work to improve his upper body strength ... Returned to some drills near the end of spring practice ... Possesses great range and a nose for the football ... Works extremely hard and hits even harder ... Played a leading role on a young defense that led the BIG EAST Conference in rushing defense last season ... Took over the starting backer position prior to the 2000 season and led the team in tackles with 103 ... Saw action on 89 percent of the Hokies' defensive plays ... Also started on the extra point and field goal block teams ... Was called on three times to punt ... Named third-team All-America by The Associated Press ... Earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors and was one of 11 semi-finalists for the Butkus Award ... Placed sixth overall in the BIG EAST in tackles with an average of 9.4 per game ... Rates as one of the hardest hitters on the squad ... Ranked the No. 18 inside linebacker in the Division I-A ranks prior to the 1999 season by Lindy's ... Started every game at outside linebacker in '99 ... Is expected to be a key team leader in 2001 ...
2001: Has helped the Hokies to a 8-2 start overall and 4-2
start in the BIG EAST Conference ... An integral part of the Hokies'
Top 20 ranking in both the Coaches' and AP Polls ... Leads the
defense in total tackles (91), quarterback hurries (12) and tackles
for loss (17) ... Has recorded 54 solo stops and 36 assists ... Also
has 3.5 sacks and an interception ... Recorded four solo stops, three
assists and two tackles for loss for minus-five yards in the opener
against UConn ... Had 11 total tackles (four solo) and a TFL against
Western Michigan ... Posted seven solo stops, four assists, two TFL
and a sack at Rutgers ... Had seven solo tackles, four assists, four
tackles for loss and half a sack at West Virginia ... Posted seven
solo stops, three assists and a tackle for loss in the win over
Boston College ... Recorded six solo stop, six assists, a tackle for
loss and a QB hurry against Syracuse ... Put up big numbers against
Pittsburgh ... Recorded 10 solo stops and seven assists for 17 total
... Also had four tackles for loss and a sack ... Registered six solo
stops and three assists in the Hokies' shutout win at Temple ...Also
had a tackle for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry ... Is the
leader on the nation's top-rated defense ... Defense has posted four
shutouts in nine contests ... Three of those shutouts have come
against conference foes, a new BIG EAST Conference record ... Defense
is third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 11.6 points
per game ... Defense is second in the nation in rushing defense,
allowing just 70.1 yards per contest ... Defense leads the nation in
total defense, allowing just 218.2 yards per game ... The Hokie D is
fourth in the nation in passing defense, allowing just 148.1 yards
per game though the air ... Defense is tops in the nation in pass
efficiency defense at a 79.08 rating ... Defense went 11 consecutive
quarters without giving up any points ... Defense has 17
interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries ...
2000: Played 651 plays at linebacker and nearly 100 more on special teams ...Collected 103 total tackles, 59 unassisted ... Posted seven tackles behind the line, including 1.5 sacks ... Hurried the quarterback nine times, broke up five passes and intercepted two ... Registered a career-high 18 tackles during Tech's win at East Carolina ... Added 15 tackles in the Hokies' road win at Syracuse ... Shrugged off an ankle injury to make 13 tackles against Miami ... Was in on 12 tackles versus West Virginia ... Intercepted passes against Rutgers and UCF ... Caused a fumble that was returned for a TD against UCF and set up another touchdown with a 42-yard interception return ... Saw brief action as a punter ... Turned in a 42-yard punt against Temple ... Punted twice at Syracuse ... Was credited with seven tackles, including a sack, against Clemson in the Gator Bowl ... Underwent reconstructive surgery to his right ankle after the season ... Was held out of spring contact work ... Returned to some individual drills during the final week of practice ...
1999: Made his first collegiate start against James Madison ... Was in on eight tackles against the Dukes ... Had six tackles and a quarterback hurry in the Clemson game ... Posted a personal-best 10 tackles at Virginia ... Registered nine tackles in games against Pittsburgh and Temple ... Had one tackle for loss against the Panthers and two versus the Owls ... Collected a quarterback sack in the Miami game ... Contributed a total of 71 tackles, including one sack and five other tackles for loss ... Hurried the quarterback four times ... Played over 30 defensive plays in every game with a career-high 82 at Pittsburgh ... Added 50 plays on special teams ... Registered seven tackles against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl ... Set a position record for inside linebackers with a 326-pound power clean during spring testing ... Also set a position mark in the 40 with a timing of 4.48 ... Posted five tackles in the Maroon-White spring game ... Won the George Preas Award as Tech's most valuable defensive player of spring practice ...
1998: Reached the most goals among the inside linebackers during preseason strength and conditioning tests ... Posted four tackles, including one behind the line, in the opening game against East Carolina ... Played a season-high 29 snaps at linebacker against Clemson and had five tackles and a quarterback hurry ... Broke up two passes in the UAB game ... Saw playing time in all 11 games on special teams as a starter on the kickoff, kickoff return and punt return teams ... Got some action on defense in nine games ... Contributed a total of 23 tackles, two passes broken up and one hurry ... Saw action in the Music City Bowl and posted a tackle ... Turned in a 36-inch vertical jump and a 4.54 forty during spring testing ... Worked at the backer position during spring practice ... Had three sacks and three other tackles for losses during spring scrimmages ... Registered five tackles, including a sack in the annual spring game ... Was one of the winners of the Richard Bullock Award for most improved players in the spring ...
1997: Underwent shoulder surgery following his senior season in high school ... Waited until he was fully recovered before entering Tech in January ... Ran the best time among the inside linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle run during spring testing at 4.30 seconds ... Worked at the backer position during spring practice ...
High School: One of six finalists for 'Mr. Football' honors in Ohio ... Named first-team All-Ohio in Division 4 ... A two-time all-district and all-conference pick for Coach John Magistro at Bellaire High ... Saw action as a free safety, outside linebacker, flanker, quarterback and punter during his career ... Named Eastern District Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 ... Made honorable mention All-USA team named by USA Today ... Helped team win three district titles, two regional championships and appear in the state championship game twice on the way to a 35-3 record ... Caught 59 passes for 817 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season ... Also registered 192 tackles and four interceptions ... Posted 23 tackles and an interception in a win over Brooke (W.Va.) High ... Also had nine catches for 90 yards in that game ... Had 70 receptions as a junior for 824 yards ... Intercepted seven passes that season and finished with 85 tackles ... Career totals include 348 tackles, 12 interceptions and 130 receptions for 1,679 yards ... Made 12 career touchdown receptions and grabbed 11 two-point conversion passes ... Set school records for pass receptions in a game (14), season (70) and career (130) ...
Personal: Benjamin Frazier Taylor, Jr. ... Born 8/31/78 in Bellaire, Ohio ... Son of Ben and Jennifer Taylor ... Studying interdisciplinary studies.
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An outstanding football player ... Has a chance to be one of the top linebackers in the country if he bounces back from ankle surgery ... Took the time away from contact work to improve his upper body strength ... Returned to some drills near the end of spring practice ... Possesses great range and a nose for the football ... Works extremely hard and hits even harder ... Played a leading role on a young defense that led the BIG EAST Conference in rushing defense last season ... Took over the starting backer position prior to the 2000 season and led the team in tackles with 103 ... Saw action on 89 percent of the Hokies' defensive plays ... Also started on the extra point and field goal block teams ... Was called on three times to punt ... Named third-team All-America by The Associated Press ... Earned first-team All-BIG EAST honors and was one of 11 semi-finalists for the Butkus Award ... Placed sixth overall in the BIG EAST in tackles with an average of 9.4 per game ... Rates as one of the hardest hitters on the squad ... Ranked the No. 18 inside linebacker in the Division I-A ranks prior to the 1999 season by Lindy's ... Started every game at outside linebacker in '99 ... Is expected to be a key team leader in 2001 ...
2001: Has helped the Hokies to a 8-2 start overall and 4-2
start in the BIG EAST Conference ... An integral part of the Hokies'
Top 20 ranking in both the Coaches' and AP Polls ... Leads the
defense in total tackles (91), quarterback hurries (12) and tackles
for loss (17) ... Has recorded 54 solo stops and 36 assists ... Also
has 3.5 sacks and an interception ... Recorded four solo stops, three
assists and two tackles for loss for minus-five yards in the opener
against UConn ... Had 11 total tackles (four solo) and a TFL against
Western Michigan ... Posted seven solo stops, four assists, two TFL
and a sack at Rutgers ... Had seven solo tackles, four assists, four
tackles for loss and half a sack at West Virginia ... Posted seven
solo stops, three assists and a tackle for loss in the win over
Boston College ... Recorded six solo stop, six assists, a tackle for
loss and a QB hurry against Syracuse ... Put up big numbers against
Pittsburgh ... Recorded 10 solo stops and seven assists for 17 total
... Also had four tackles for loss and a sack ... Registered six solo
stops and three assists in the Hokies' shutout win at Temple ...Also
had a tackle for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry ... Is the
leader on the nation's top-rated defense ... Defense has posted four
shutouts in nine contests ... Three of those shutouts have come
against conference foes, a new BIG EAST Conference record ... Defense
is third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 11.6 points
per game ... Defense is second in the nation in rushing defense,
allowing just 70.1 yards per contest ... Defense leads the nation in
total defense, allowing just 218.2 yards per game ... The Hokie D is
fourth in the nation in passing defense, allowing just 148.1 yards
per game though the air ... Defense is tops in the nation in pass
efficiency defense at a 79.08 rating ... Defense went 11 consecutive
quarters without giving up any points ... Defense has 17
interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries ...
2000: Played 651 plays at linebacker and nearly 100 more on special teams ...Collected 103 total tackles, 59 unassisted ... Posted seven tackles behind the line, including 1.5 sacks ... Hurried the quarterback nine times, broke up five passes and intercepted two ... Registered a career-high 18 tackles during Tech's win at East Carolina ... Added 15 tackles in the Hokies' road win at Syracuse ... Shrugged off an ankle injury to make 13 tackles against Miami ... Was in on 12 tackles versus West Virginia ... Intercepted passes against Rutgers and UCF ... Caused a fumble that was returned for a TD against UCF and set up another touchdown with a 42-yard interception return ... Saw brief action as a punter ... Turned in a 42-yard punt against Temple ... Punted twice at Syracuse ... Was credited with seven tackles, including a sack, against Clemson in the Gator Bowl ... Underwent reconstructive surgery to his right ankle after the season ... Was held out of spring contact work ... Returned to some individual drills during the final week of practice ...
1999: Made his first collegiate start against James Madison ... Was in on eight tackles against the Dukes ... Had six tackles and a quarterback hurry in the Clemson game ... Posted a personal-best 10 tackles at Virginia ... Registered nine tackles in games against Pittsburgh and Temple ... Had one tackle for loss against the Panthers and two versus the Owls ... Collected a quarterback sack in the Miami game ... Contributed a total of 71 tackles, including one sack and five other tackles for loss ... Hurried the quarterback four times ... Played over 30 defensive plays in every game with a career-high 82 at Pittsburgh ... Added 50 plays on special teams ... Registered seven tackles against Florida State in the Sugar Bowl ... Set a position record for inside linebackers with a 326-pound power clean during spring testing ... Also set a position mark in the 40 with a timing of 4.48 ... Posted five tackles in the Maroon-White spring game ... Won the George Preas Award as Tech's most valuable defensive player of spring practice ...
1998: Reached the most goals among the inside linebackers during preseason strength and conditioning tests ... Posted four tackles, including one behind the line, in the opening game against East Carolina ... Played a season-high 29 snaps at linebacker against Clemson and had five tackles and a quarterback hurry ... Broke up two passes in the UAB game ... Saw playing time in all 11 games on special teams as a starter on the kickoff, kickoff return and punt return teams ... Got some action on defense in nine games ... Contributed a total of 23 tackles, two passes broken up and one hurry ... Saw action in the Music City Bowl and posted a tackle ... Turned in a 36-inch vertical jump and a 4.54 forty during spring testing ... Worked at the backer position during spring practice ... Had three sacks and three other tackles for losses during spring scrimmages ... Registered five tackles, including a sack in the annual spring game ... Was one of the winners of the Richard Bullock Award for most improved players in the spring ...
1997: Underwent shoulder surgery following his senior season in high school ... Waited until he was fully recovered before entering Tech in January ... Ran the best time among the inside linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle run during spring testing at 4.30 seconds ... Worked at the backer position during spring practice ...
High School: One of six finalists for 'Mr. Football' honors in Ohio ... Named first-team All-Ohio in Division 4 ... A two-time all-district and all-conference pick for Coach John Magistro at Bellaire High ... Saw action as a free safety, outside linebacker, flanker, quarterback and punter during his career ... Named Eastern District Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 ... Made honorable mention All-USA team named by USA Today ... Helped team win three district titles, two regional championships and appear in the state championship game twice on the way to a 35-3 record ... Caught 59 passes for 817 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season ... Also registered 192 tackles and four interceptions ... Posted 23 tackles and an interception in a win over Brooke (W.Va.) High ... Also had nine catches for 90 yards in that game ... Had 70 receptions as a junior for 824 yards ... Intercepted seven passes that season and finished with 85 tackles ... Career totals include 348 tackles, 12 interceptions and 130 receptions for 1,679 yards ... Made 12 career touchdown receptions and grabbed 11 two-point conversion passes ... Set school records for pass receptions in a game (14), season (70) and career (130) ...
Personal: Benjamin Frazier Taylor, Jr. ... Born 8/31/78 in Bellaire, Ohio ... Son of Ben and Jennifer Taylor ... Studying interdisciplinary studies.
