Guy suspends best tackler for rule violation
Antonio Taylor, the USU football team’s leading tackler, was suspended Monday for one year from the team for violation of team rules.
Head Coach Brent Guy made the announcement in a press release Monday morning.
During Guy’s weekly press conference later Monday at 11:30 a.m. in the Taggart Student Center, Guy would not go into specifics about what Taylor did.
It was the second blow in as many days for the USU defense. During Saturday’s loss against the Wyoming Cowboys, defensive end Ben Childs fractured his left leg and will be out for the remainder of the season. Both Childs and Taylor are seniors.
Junior linebacker Jake Hutton, who was the only team member at the press conference, was just as surprised as the media present.
“I actually just found out right now,” Hutton said. “That definitely is a big blow.”
Saturday’s game was a career one for Taylor, as he recorded 15 tackles – a personal best. In Game 1 against University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Taylor had 10 stops.
In 2006 he became the first non-linebacker to lead the Aggies in tackles, with 74, since 1978. Taylor has a total of 17 career starts and has played in 31 games. He has a total of 211 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass break-ups.
“Tony has a lot of energy out there,” Hutton said. “I love playing with Antonio. He’s a great player. He’s really smart. He’s been here for a while. He knows what he’s doing. He’s been making a lot of plays. He’s been playing better than he ever has, I think. He hasn’t blown any coverages.”
Nevertheless, Guy has set rules since he was hired in 2004, which include a two-strike policy. This is not the first time Guy has had to take action.
Last September Tony Pennyman, a wide receiver at the time, was dismissed from the team after being charged on suspicion of domestic assault, a Class B misdemeanor.
In July of ’06, six players were arrested, five of them getting Class B misdemeanors and one of them suspended.
In April of that year, Dionte Holloway and Jerrod Walker were terminated form the football team for being charged with a Class A misdemeanor for possession of an illegal substance, marijuana.
“Rules are rules. We’ve got to stick by them,” Hutton said.
Taylor’s absence will open up opportunities for sophomore James Brindley, junior Caleb Taylor and junior Roy Hurst.
USU travels to face the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners Saturday.
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu