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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texas Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe had to say at SEC Media Days
The rise from walk-on to All-American makes Texas safety Michael Taaffe a special player. His remarkable story has captivated fans and media members across the country. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called Taaffe's journey, "Probably the coolest story on our team right now is Michael Taaffe." Taaffe's return to the 40 Acres for his senior year was a huge boon for the Texas defense. Taaffe was one of the three players Texas took to SEC Media Days. Here is the transcript from Taaffe's question and answer period at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, thanks to the Southeastern Conference media department: Q. What's the biggest challenge for the Texas secondary this year, and what are the differences you noticed between the two leagues? MICHAEL TAAFFE: The first answer, how are we going to handle success? So we obviously had a lot of success. We had the Thorpe Award winner in our back end. We had a second-round draft pick in our back end. And we had a couple of guys returning. So, how are we going to handle success? And are we going to be complacent with that success or are we going to raise the bar and raise the standard? What I'm always trying to do is I'm trying to raise the standard and understand that there's a bar and we've got to reset that every single year to keep chasing greatness because at the end of the day, if you want your name to be remembered, you've got to keep going and keep doing more. The leagues, the second question is it's different, right? It's a lot different. There's different speeds. There's different atmospheres. There's different weather. But I know in the SEC, what I can tell you about the SEC is you have to be physically prepared every single game. Your body has to be prepared every single game. There's no game where you can take it lightly. Q. Sark has said a few times this offseason how Arch has taken on more leadership responsibilities. He's taken that role by the horns, so to speak. How have you seen that? Is there an example where you came away maybe impressed of where he's making those strides? MICHAEL TAAFFE: Arch is obviously one of my best friends. I was his host when he was a recruit here on his OV. Ever since then, we hit it off. I think the one thing that I respected about him is he would look like an average Joe if you were walking across the halls, besides that he looked exactly like his uncles and his granddad. But he's such a down-to-earth guy. How he leads is he gets the respect of the locker room. It's not always the rah rah guy. You can be a leader so many different ways. But how he leads is he makes a personal relationship with every guy in the locker room and tries to get respect from them. That's leading by example. That's leading with intention by sitting with different people at lunch. That's going out of his way to show people, hey, it's nice and it's good to go thank people for holding the doors or thank people for cleaning up our locker room. So he leads by example, and he tries to set a standard for the guys, which is really cool. Q. What's the most common question you get about him? I'm sure you get a ton of them. MICHAEL TAAFFE: That's a great question. The most common question I get about Arch is -- oh, man, that's a good question. It's usually more generic, like, how is Arch looking? Is Arch the real deal? That's probably the biggest question I get: Is Arch Manning the real deal? My answer to that always is, just let his film do all the talking. Q. What's the most complicated pass offense you played against within those two conferences and then through your career, because you were in the playoffs last year against the eventual national champion Ohio State? MICHAEL TAAFFE: Every offense that I've gone against has given me some type of trouble, some type of misdirection, some type of scheme. That's a respect to our defense because they do stuff on film that's different than what they've shown. So I think that's a respect to our defense because we give them something that they've clearly never seen. But probably the hardest offense that I've gone against is Washington. When Michael Penix was there, Rome Odunze was there, Ja'Lynn Polk was there -- Kalen DeBoer, Coach DeBoer was the head coach there. That was probably the game that was toughest for me. Q. What did playing in the A&M-Texas game mean for you last year? And where did that interception you had in that game rank among your favorite football moments? MICHAEL TAAFFE: Top moment, hands down. I was telling my friends the other month, I think that was the coolest moment of my life. It's up there for moments of life. But I think it's so important to know that we had 13 years of no Texas-versus-Texas A&M rivalry. And then all of a sudden we get it back, and it's in College Station, it's at Kyle Field. And people argue that that's the best atmosphere in all of college football. To believe that it wasn't rockin' you would be a fool, because that place was -- I saw five fields when they were running out of the tunnel. It was shaking. It was loud. It was crazy. And it's so good for the great state of Texas, so good for college football, because in Austin there's no pro team. We are the pro team. The Texas Longhorns are the professional team. And in College Station, obviously the same. It's a rich tradition of just Texas fans going back and forth, and it's so fun for us as competitors. Q. Piggybacking off of that, you said "the best moment of your life," how much are you looking forward to this year that game being in Austin? MICHAEL TAAFFE: For sure, because I know that they got a taste of being able to scream for their fans. So the proud and few, the brave Longhorns that went to that stadium, I don't know how they did it. But I'm happy for them that they get to get a sea of burnt orange this next time that we go around. It's such a fun game. It brings out so much competitive nature out of you, brings out so much rich tradition and history and rivalry. That's what college football is all about, the rivalry games like Texas versus Texas A&M. And Marcel Reed, heck of a player. The guy they've got on offense, heck of a player, I'm excited. Q. Do you mind explaining a little bit about your tie? MICHAEL TAAFFE: For sure. My tie, the Texas floods happened this past week. And Camp Mystic is a girls church camp that was impacted pretty seriously. So all these initials are all the victims at Camp Mystic that lost their lives in the tragic flooding this past weekend. It's all the daughters, the 8-year-old girls that passed away in the cabins and their two counselors who gave their lives being heroes trying to save those daughters and those girls, and then the camp director who went back into the floods to try to save those girls' lives. I wanted to remember those victims because they deserve a light like this. What they did, they should be heroes, they should be remembered. Q. You mentioned your relationship with Arch and a lot has been made about your friendship with Cade, growing up in high school and stuff. Those are two of the top Heisman favorites going into the season. I'm not asking you to make a pick, if you had a vote, but what do you make about their cases for that award this year? What are they going to have to do to maybe put one over the top of the other? MICHAEL TAAFFE: Obviously this quarterback class is so talented this year. All the quarterbacks in the SEC are really talented alone, but bringing in guys like Klub, Cade Klubnik, makes this roster, this class of quarterbacks so unique, so competitive, a lot of juice. But the similarities that Arch and Cade have is they know how to take over a team. And they know that the team embodies their personality. So both of them walk on the field, it's, like, all right, it's game time, every time they step on the field. That's why I respect both of those guys because they have that sense of competitiveness that's, like, all right, nobody can stop me. It's really inspiring. Q. You played against Ohio State last year and Jeremiah Smith. What were your impressions of him, and how does he rank, maybe, in the athletes you've competed against? MICHAEL TAAFFE: I can't even rank him yet because I've got to play him again. But he, man, what he does on that football field, it doesn't seem like a real human's doing that, because he's just so unique. He's inspirational in all the talent, and he still is only 19 years old. So it's going to be really fun going against him because he's a freak of nature. I've watched a lot of his routes, almost all of them, dang near, from last year, and seeing how he gets in and out of breaks, seeing how he runs full speed, seeing how he stacks DBs, and obviously the best thing about him, one of his attributes, is going up and getting the football. You can put three DBs on him, but if you get it up in the air, he's going to go get it, which is really cool. Q. When did you know Colin Simmons was going to be special, and what is one eye-popping moment for you, you're kind of like, wow? MICHAEL TAAFFE: The second that he stepped on campus, I knew Colin Simmons would be the guy. He's one of the guys coming in that he's a three-year-and-out, first-round type of guy. I don't want to put too much pressure on him, but I know that's the expectation for himself. One of the plays, he wears this long towel in practice, it's like a shower towel. I'm like, what is this guy doing? All of a sudden he runs up with the 1s, one of the first weeks he's out here, and said, hut. A second later, he's getting back to the quarterback and he's giving our left and right tackles a heck of a day. It's definitely easier to play DB playing man coverage when you've got him going after the quarterback. It shocked my eye. It was like, is it that sweaty outside right now. Like, why is he wearing that towel? But then I watched him and he got after the quarterback. I was like, you can do whatever you want as long as you're getting to the quarterback like that.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Counting down the top 11 safeties in LSU history: Where do Delpit, Landry, and Adams rank?
LSU football has a rich history at the safety position. Few programs produce secondary talent on LSU's level, which has earned LSU the nickname of DBU (defensive back university). Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, LSU built elite defenses on the backend. In the 2000s, we saw Laron Landry and Craig Steltz play at an All-American level. Jamal Adams and Grant Delpit continued that tradition a decade later. But the tradition started before those players were even born with guys like Greg Jackson leading the way in the 1900s. These lists are never easy. It's hard enough to decide on the 10 most deserving names. After it's narrowed down, it's even harder to find the right order, especially with the amount of talent that's come through Baton Rouge over the years. I tried to consider a variety of factors, from raw talent, production, all-conference accolades, All-American honors, and NFL Draft position. Here are the 11 best safeties in LSU football history. 11. Chad Jones Jones spent three years at LSU and played in all 40 games, making 19 starts. As a junior in 2019, Jones racked up 74 tackles, three picks, with six pass breakups. Jones was quick to make an impact after arriving at LSU. As a true freshman, he made 34 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a pick, a forced fumble, and three pass breakups. It wasn't just defense where Jones made his impact. Against Mississippi State in 2009, Jones returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown to give LSU a 30-21 lead in the fourth quarter. That score proved to be key as LSU won 30-26. Jones was a two-sport standout and won a national title with the football team and the LSU baseball team. 10. Craig Burns Burns wasn't all that different from Jones, except he wore the LSU uniform 35 years earlier. Burns was a playmaker in the secondary who also returned punts and was a star on the baseball team. Burns eight interceptions in 1970 is tied for first place in program history. He finished his career with 12 picks, one of the best marks in LSU history. Burns earned second-team All-SEC honors in 1970. Burns had a career day with three picks vs. Ole Miss in 1970. 9. Liffort Hobley Hobley picked off 10 passes in his LSU career, one of the best marks in program history. Six of those picks came in 1984, when Hobley was an All-SEC safety. Hobley came up big in the Sugar Bowl vs. Nebraska, picking off two passes. He earned All-SEC honors twice in his career and was a third-round pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. 8. Craig Steltz Steltz is one of four LSU safeties to earn consensus All-American honors. Steltz didn't become a full-time starter until his final year with LSU in 2007, but he made the most of it. Steltz was a team captain on a national championship-winning defense. He picked off six passes and forced three fumbles. Steltz's 11 career interceptions. Steltz was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, annually given to the top defensive back in college football. He was a first-team All-SEC and a fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft. 7. Eric Reid Reid was a member of LSU's dominant secondary in 2011. Reid's 2011 interception vs. Alabama is remembered as one of the best plays in LSU history. In the fourth quarter of a 6-6 game, Reid wrestled a jump ball away from Alabama's tight end to secure the turnover. LSU went on to win 9-6. That moment was representative of the plays Reid made throughout his LSU career. Reid was a first-team All-American in 2012 and a second-team All-American in 2011. He earned all-conference honors in 2011 and 2012 before moving on to be a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. 6. Greg Jackson Jackson earned first-team All-American honors in 1988 from Gannett News Service. He was named first-team All-SEC by the Associated Press and SEC coaches. Jackson came up with seven picks in 1988. Jackson was dangerous with the ball and his 219 interception return yards in 1988 remain an SEC record. He was a team captain as LSU went 6-1 in conference play thanks to a stellar defense. Jackson was a versatile secondary player who went on to be a third-round pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. 5. Jamal Adams Jamal Adams is one of the most talented defenders to wear the LSU uniform. He was a five-star recruit before the New York Jets selected Adams with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Adams made an impact as a true freshman in 2014, but saw his career take off in 2015. Adams earned second-team All-SEC recognition and finished the year with 67 tackles, five tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and four interceptions. In 2016, Adams took it up a notch, earning first-team All-American honors. LSU's 2026 defense was one of the best in the nation with Adams holding it down in the secondary. Few LSU defenders were as fun to watch as Jamal Adams. 4. Grant Delpit Grant Delpit won the Thorpe Award in 2019 as a leader on LSU's national championship-winning defense. He was a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC. But for as good as Delpit was in 2019, he was even better in 2018, when he was a finalist for the Nagurski Award. In 2018, Delpit led the SEC with five picks and ranked No. 2 in the SEC in pass breakups. He finished the year with 74 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. It's hard to find another player who made Delpit's impact in coverage, stopping the run, and rushing the passer. Delpit did it all, and he did it at an elite level, leaving LSU with a national title ring. 3. Chris Williams Coming in at No. 3, we have LSU's all-time interceptions leader Chris Williams. Williams played corner and safety at LSU, but he played enough safety to be on this list. Williams picked off 20 passes at LSU, including an eight-interception campaign in 1980. Williams earned first-team All-SEC honors that year. Williams was a second-team All-SEC in the prior season, too. Williams was a top contributor at LSU from 1977-1980 and was a second-round pick in 1981. It's tough to find a player who made a high impact like Williams in all four years. 2. LaRon Landry Landry's talent speaks for itself. It's why he was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Landry's resume is strong, and he has a case to be the top-ranked player on this list. Landry was a second-team All-SEC in 2003 as a member of LSU's national championship-winning defense. In 2004, Landry earned all-conference recognition again. In 2005, Landry earned third-team All-American honors. And then in 2006, Landry was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, first-team All-SEC, and first-team All-American. Landry's 315 career tackles rank top 10 in school history, and his 12 career interceptions rank third in LSU history. 1. Tommy Casanova Tommy Casanova was a two-time consensus All-American in the secondary for LSU. Casanova made an impact in all three phases of the game, contributing on offense and special teams, too. Casanova emerged in 1970 as one of the best players in the nation. He entered 1971 in the Heisman conversation, but an injury in 1971 cost Casanova five games. Casanova still managed to earn first-team All-American honors again. Casanova was selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft. As a pro, he went on to be a three-time Pro Bowler. Casanova finished his LSU career with three first-team All-SEC selections.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fans Worried for Travis Hunter After New Video Surfaces
Travis Hunter has already hit the practice field for the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He participated in rookie minicamp from May 9–11 and began OTA offseason workouts with the team on Monday. Hunter, a two-way player, entered the draft nearly at the top of draft boards because of his ability to play both sides of the ball at the highest level. The former Colorado Buffaloes standout was selected seven picks ahead of the first true wide receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, who went to the Carolina Panthers. Advertisement On Monday, footage of both Hunter and McMillan was posted side by side, showing their experiences with their new teams so far. Despite not running the same route, McMillan's route looked crisper, and Hunter struggled to come out of his break. Fans who saw the post headed to the replies and shared their worries for Hunter. "Worried about Travis," one wrote. "That was horrible by Travis," a fan said. "Quickly Realizing that The NFL isn't like college. It's good he realizes this now." "One guy is a WR that's played WR his whole career, one guy is an athlete trying to play WR," another wrote. "It's pretty obvious and I swear it's not a knock on Travis. Travis was able to get away with a lot of (expletive) in college bc it's college, that (expletive) won't fly in the league I promise you that." Advertisement "lol but remember they said tmac is not WR1…," added another. "Gotta learn them routes bro bro," said a fan. "It's the jaguars organizations fault. They just turn good players into bad one once drafted," a fan added. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12).Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK At Colorado, Hunter won the Heisman Trophy after recording 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. At cornerback, he added 35 tackles, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble, and four interceptions. Hunter and the Jaguars will continue OTA offseason workouts on select days until June 5. Then, they'll have several days off before mandatory minicamp from June 10-12. Related: Travis Hunter Breaks Silence On Thorpe Award Snub After Winning Heisman Trophy
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Travis Hunter Makes $3.275 Million Decision with Wife Leanna Lenee
Travis Hunter Makes $3.275 Million Decision with Wife Leanna Lenee originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Jacksonville Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter is gearing up for his rookie NFL season after a standout college career at Jackson State and Colorado. Advertisement The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner is coming off a dominant year, finishing with 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 36 tackles, 11 pass breakups and four interceptions on defense. Since being drafted No. 2 overall in April, Hunter has been active both on and off the field. He's participated in rookie minicamp, voluntary OTAs, and mandatory minicamp with the Jaguars. Off the field, the 22-year-old also married his fiancée, Leanna Lenee. The two started dating in 2022 and got engaged in February 2024. They tied the knot in May this year at The Barn at Faith Farms in Athens, Tennessee. Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter (12).Travis Register-Imagn Images Meanwhile, with Hunter locked into a projected four-year, $46.5 million rookie contract with the Jaguars, he has recently decided to purchase a 13-room home in Jacksonville, valued at $3.275 million (Jacksonville Daily Record). Advertisement Deerwood Country Club, the neighborhood in which the house is located, confirmed the news on Tuesday with a post on social media. "The Jag is on the loose!" Deerwood Country Club's post read. "Deerwood Country Club welcomes the Hunter family. Wishing you all good things and beautiful blessings and memories in this new journey!" The Deerwood Country Club is about a 20-minute drive from both the Miller Electric Center, the Jaguars' practice facility, and EverBank Stadium, where they play their home games. It's the perfect location to get the best of both proximity and privacy for one of the newest Jaguars. Advertisement The neighborhood features an 18-hole golf course and a newly constructed aquatic center with a pool and space for club activities. Related: Fans Worried for Travis Hunter After New Video Surfaces Related: Travis Hunter Breaks Silence On Thorpe Award Snub After Winning Heisman Trophy This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys 5x Pro Bowler, Red River hero ranked among Top 25 CFB players of 2000s
Cowboys 5x Pro Bowler, Red River hero ranked among Top 25 CFB players of 2000s From championship cornerstone at Oklahoma to first-round NFL pick, Roy Williams' blend of physical dominance and iconic moments left an impact. Before Roy Williams became a five-time Pro Bowler and hard-hitting safety for the Dallas Cowboys, he was the heart of one of college football's most ferocious defenses. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman recently unveiled his list of the top 25 CFB players of the 2000s, and Williams, a former Oklahoma Sooner and Cowboys first-round pick, earned the No. 18 spot, a nod to one of the most disruptive defenders of his era. Standing 6-foot-1 and tipping the scale at 220 pounds, Williams was a nightmare for opposing offenses. He recorded 287 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 9 interceptions and 44 pass breakups during his college career, including a jaw-dropping 2001 campaign where he notched 107 tackles, 14 TFLs, and 22 PBUs. That year, he became the first player to win both the Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) and the Thorpe Award (best defensive back) in the same season. Williams' name is forever tied to one of the most iconic moments in Red River Rivalry history. With Texas backed up deep in its own territory and Oklahoma hanging on to a 7-3 lead in 2001, Williams leapt over a blocker, blew up quarterback Chris Simms, and forced the game-sealing turnover that sealed a Sooners victory and remains etched in college football lore. A year earlier, he helped deliver a national title, setting a BCS championship game record with 12 tackles by a defensive back as Oklahoma stunned Florida State 13-2. Selected eighth overall by Dallas in the 2002 NFL Draft, Williams brought that same relentless energy to the pros. He spent seven seasons in Dallas, earning All-Pro honors in 2003 and five straight Pro Bowl selections from 2003 to 2007. Across his nine-year NFL career, he totaled 593 tackles, 20 interceptions, 7.5 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns. Williams' college dominance, paired with his decorated NFL run, makes his place on the list not just earned, but inevitable. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans
