Miami's Jason Taylor Embarks on a New Adventure Without His Two Star Pass Rushers
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — It's normal for any position coach to start the new season with new players, but some can't replace the feeling and talent that once was.
That is what the Miami Hurricanes and defensive lines coach Jason Taylor is tasked with during spring practice and ahead of the 2026 season.
Taylor is excited to start over, even without Rueben Bain Jr. and Ahkeem Mesidor. However, they set a standard that he can push on to the new talent and returning ones as well.
“Well, we start over every year anyway," Taylor said. "Yeah, we’ve had some departures, some significant guys that made huge contributions leaving. But we also have guys returning. We’ve got Ahmad Moten Sr., Armondo [Blount], [Marquise] Lightfoot, Justin Scott, Booker Pickett Jr.. … a lot of guys that played football for us last year, so it is exciting. You move on to the next year.
"Unfortunately, ’25 didn’t end the way we wanted it to, so we get a chance to reboot and start it back up in ’26 and try again. So, it’s exciting. A lot of really good pieces in that room and you get to start at the bottom and build up, continue to build guys that have been here, try to incorporate the new guys that come into the room, into the organization, and then you continue to build culture and standard and leadership and then things will spill over.”
With the Canes retooling, many have been able to learn more from those previous players. Armondo Blunt has been with the program for three seasons now, but is still one of the youngest players in the room.
Similar to Blount is Lightfoot. Each is an outstanding talent who is trying to find their footing as new leaders, but is also still learning from Bain and Mesidor.
“Those guys are learning from it and some of them had a chance to be around Rueben and Akheem for three years, two years, one year, whatever it may be. Bain and Mes did a really good job of being pros," Taylor said. "I always tell them, ‘be a pro.’ I always tell everybody in the room ‘be a pro.’ What does that mean? Sometimes it takes longer for guys to figure out what that means.
"They approached everything as a pro. One of their big points of emphasis last year was to be more contagious, more infectious, to have more gravity to them and draw people in and lead not just by example, but also understanding.
"Sometimes, you’ve got to put your arm around somebody. Sometimes, you’ve got to put your foot in their hind parts and they found that balance. Did a really good job of becoming elite leaders last year and it’s still paying dividends."
Now the Hurricanes prepare for the Spring Game on April 18th, when they have a chance to show what they can be this season.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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