Over the past two seasons the special teams unit has been one of the most consistent for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football program. That is in part thanks to long snapper Billy Taylor who came in back in 2017 to win the starting job and has dominated the position ever since.
The Knight Report caught up with Taylor for a quick Q&A to talk about his experience so far, his adjustment between switching punters and much more.
A lot of people don’t understand the technique and time that goes into being a long snapper, but how difficult is it to learn the position?
BT: “It depends who you ask and what level you are playing at. If you’re playing for your high school team, then you can get a serviceable guy who will do a decent job and get it done. When you’re playing some of these Big Ten teams and they are coming hard every part, if there is any variation in the snapping time then it could lose us a game. It’s just a whole lot more pressure at this level.”
You ended up winning the starting long snapper job in your first season with the Scarlet Knights, what was that like?
BT: “I was 17 at the time when I came into camp and I was still a young buck. It was nerve-racking coming in at some an early age and there was a lot of pressure that people don’t see. It’s also a lot of pressure you put on yourself too, but I had a good support group around me like Andrew Harte, David Bonagura and Mike Cintron. They all helped me out in different ways and with all their help I ended up winning the job.”
Special Teams Coordinator Vince Okruch mentioned this spring that you are the unsung hero of the team, what does it mean to hear that from him?
BT: “It’s awesome to hear and it brings a smile to my face. The snappers main purpose is to service the punters and kickers, so as long as I can make Adam (Korsak) and Justin (Davidovicz) as comfortable as possible, that means I’ve done my job. I feel all of my success for them.”
Your freshman year you had an experienced guy back there at punter in Ryan Anderson and then last season you had a true freshman Adam Korsak come in and take the punter job. How difficult was that of a transition to switch from an experienced guy to a guy who has never played in the US?
BT:“Anderson was a lefty, so it brought a little more variation to it. Instead of snapping to the left, you’re obviously snapping to the right hip with Adam. It’s just a little bit of an adjustment in your form and it was a change, you just have to go through it.”
When looking back to last season, you can tell that you are always right there down the field after each snap, sometimes even the first guy down the field. Would you say you’re one of the quickest on the team?
BT: “Far from it! Thankfully I usually get a free release or a linebacker who is spying the punter to make sure he isn’t faking it. I just try my best to motor down and stop the returners feet so he can’t run right back up the middle. Far from the fastest guy on the team.”
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