Tracking the Preaux Career of Ike Taylor

[Zeebart21]

I never see their games on tv. I know Ike and from what I know, he has pride in his school, but that swaggin bs is ????

You know what? I dont know him. I'll take your word for it. Thanks!

Z.

[Cajun Express]

How do you figure he has forgotten where he played in college?

Every other player names the school they play for in the introduction and he mumbles something that isn't UL, isn't USL, isn't UL-Lafayette and that is this year. Last year he mentioned his hometown which under the circumstance was very acceptable.

Hey if Ike would like props from the UL family he needs to act like he might be a member of that family. We our former players, they get props all the time.

[NewsCopy]

PITTSBURGH - At least for now, Ike Taylor has regained his starting job at left cornerback. The highest-paid defensive back in Steelers' history says his five-game demotion last season is ancient history and that he's got new lease on his football life. "Last year was last year," Taylor said. "This is 2007. I'm glad to be back. I'm just glad to be playing football again." Last September, just days before the regular-season opener against Miami, the Steelers rewarded Taylor with a five-year contract worth $22.5 million, a $6.4 million signing bonus included. Even though Taylor, a fourth-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, doesn't pull in a high number of interceptions, he did develop into a solid shutdown corner in 2005 after earning a spot in the starting lineup. But 10 games into last season, Taylor was demoted by then-coach Bill Cowher. For five games, Taylor was relegated to spot duty in the nickel and dime packages while Bryant McFadden, a second-round pick in the '05 draft, started ahead of him. Taylor did start the season finale, a 23-17 overtime win in Cincinnati. And so far in mini-camp, he's still No. 1 on the depth chart. The rest of the story Mike Bires Times Sports Staff

[NewsCopy]

N.O. native hosting youth camp in Gretna Saturday, June 30, 2007 Life, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor says, has never been easy for him. "He's always said he has to outwork everyone and that he has to outperform other's expectations," said Tom Shaw, Taylor's conditioning coach. At the same time, life has never been better for Taylor, and he knows it. On Friday, Taylor was holding court at Cahill Academy in Gretna, and he had a number of his NFL buddies to help him out. It was Taylor, a product of Abramson High and the University of Louisiana, giving back to New Orleans-area kids. "It's all about the moment, the memory," Taylor said. "Hopefully when they get older, they can tell their kids, 'I know that guy.' I went to camp with that guy.' " It didn't take much for Taylor to understand what his FaceMeIke Camp means to the youths at Cahill. As he was sitting in the bleachers talking, the kids lined up to greet him before they went back into the school's gym, each slapping his hand. The rest of the story by Fred Robinson frobinson@timespicayune.com (504) 826-3412.

[geo_cajun]

did someone from the time-pic just slip up and call us the University of Louisiana, with no at Lafayette designation?! He could lose his job for such an egregious mistake.

[NewsCopy]

Deshea, is Ike Taylor still THE cover, or shutdown, corner?

"He is that guy," said Townsend. "He's a great physical athlete that's getting better. The one thing about him is he's young, so he's still learning the little things about the game that apply to covering.

[NewsCopy]

LATROBE - He was so much more carefree back in the day, back when Ike Taylor had the world on a string. He was a shutdown corner in the making, a cog in the Steelers' run to the Super Bowl. Back then, Ike Taylor aimed to please ... everyone. But then came the flip side. Taylor struggled last year. He wasn't the shutdown corner his potential said he was. And he got benched, the only one in fact. It made it look as if the Super Bowl hangover, the 8-8 record, was his fault. Taylor, as they say, has been through the wringer. He's not looking to please anyone but his coaches and the other 10 guys on his side of the field. The media? Well, they're seeing a new Ike Taylor, a more serious man who has too much to lose. "I am," Taylor said without a hint of his old, fun-loving self. "Growing up, you know. I guess that just comes with the territory. It's just focus. That's all it is." The rest of the story Jim Wexell Herald-Standard

[NewsCopy]

PITTSBURGH - At long last, Ike Taylor leads the Steelers in interceptions. The biggest salary cap number among all Steelers' defensive backs this season, Taylor picked off his second pass of the season Sunday in what may have been the most critical play of a 21-0 win over the Seattle Seahawks. "It's about time," said Taylor, who has a one-interception lead over fellow corners Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden. Now in his third season as the starting left corner, Taylor is a most unusual defensive back. He's a gifted athlete who possesses the speed and agility to hang with the NFL's top wide receivers. But he doesn't exactly have the greatest hands in the world. When he came to Pittsburgh as a fourth-round pick in the 2003 draft, he didn't bring any interceptions with him. That's because he hardly played defense in college. In fact, he didn't play any football his first two years at the University of Louisiana. When he walked on as a non-scholarship player in 2001, Taylor played tailback. He played well enough as a reserve to earn a scholarship for his senior season when he switched to cornerback. Although Taylor never intercepted a pass for the Ragin' Cajuns, the Steelers were so intrigued by his athleticism that they drafted him. And even though Taylor had only one regular-season interception in 2005, his first year as a starter, the Steelers made him the highest-paid defensive back in franchise history last year when they signed him to a five-year extension that included a $6.4 million signing bonus. The rest of the story By: Mike Bires mbires@timesonline.com

[srevere51]

_ _

He should pull a Drew Brees and donate some dollars to UL football.

[anhil8tor]

I like Ike

[ulforlife]

_ He should pull a Drew Brees and donate some dollars to UL football. _

He won't, he doesn't recognize his old school. Not sure why but he has a grudge I guess.

[srevere51]

_ He won't, he doesn't recognize his old school. Not sure why but he has a grudge I guess. _

Yeah i know, for the super bowl he announced New Orleans, instead of THE University of Louisiana