Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, and the NFL Upbringing Behind Ivan Taylor's Emergence

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ivan Taylor was made for this.

Alabama's sophomore safety has stepped into an increased role this year, becoming a regular rotational piece of the Crimson Tide's secondary. Taylor had the biggest moment of his young career in the team's 26-10 loss to Tennessee on Saturday, picking off quarterback George MacIntyre to set Alabama up at the 14-yard line for its only touchdown of the day.

"I was really just doing my job," Taylor said of the play. "Was staying in the post, and God gave me a gift."

The pick was Taylor's second, with the first coming last month against Florida State. He was one of the most hyped up players of fall camp, as Kane Wommack and teammates alike sung his praises for weeks leading up to the season.

It's easy to see why. The 6-foot-0, 198-pound Taylor possesses elite agility, positional versatility, and high-level instincts and IQ that he has put on display throughout the first half of the season. None of this should be a surprise when considering his father, Ike, played 12 years in the NFL.

"He tells me things that I can work on. Really, he's like a mentor to me," Taylor said. "Just those little things that I can work on and things I need to get better at."

Ike played his entire career with the Steelers, winning two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh as a key piece of some of the most dominant defenses of the 21st century. While he played cornerback, the younger Taylor has spoken with the two safeties from those teams: Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark.

"I talked to them, kind of picked their brain. Love to watch their highlights, and really just see how they play the game with that physicality and those instincts, and how I can just implement my game to be like them as well," Taylor said. "Ryan Clark had that physicality, and Troy Polamalu had that instinct. You know what I mean? If he felt something, then he would do it."

Taylor recognizes the impact his father has had on his career and tries to capitalize on the advantages he has as a result.

"It's definitely helped," Taylor said. "It helped me mentally more than physically. Just training with him, being able to go over film with him is a huge part. When I was younger, it played a big role as well."

Taylor's role, while significant this year, is set to get a lot bigger next season, as Alabama will likely need to replace two starting safeties in Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard. For now, the sophomore is focused on continuing to earn the trust of his coaches and teammates as he tries to help a struggling secondary right the ship.

"That means that they could trust me on the field," Taylor said of his playing time. "I feel like if my brothers can trust me, my teammates can trust me, and the coaches can trust me as well. Because if I mess up, my brothers will know, and I don't want to hurt my brothers. You know what I mean? So that's a big thing for me."

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