Jamar Taylor isn't picky about where he plays. He's listed as South Florida's fourth running back, but he's far from a benchwarmer. He's a major player on the Bulls' special teams unit.
The sophomore from powerhouse Lakeland High plays on kickoff returns, punt returns and both coverage units.
"If the coaches told me to go out there and play guard, I would," Taylor said. "I just want to be on the field. I don't care where they put me. I want to help the team win."
It takes a special individual to be a wedge buster. That's the person who flies downfield and smashes his body willingly into a player so a teammate can make a tackle. It takes someone mean and fearless. In football terms, that's the ultimate sacrifice.
That's Taylor.
"He's one of the tougher players we have on our team - physically tough, mentally tough," running backs coach Carl Franks said. "He has a huge passion for the game. He is a fun guy to coach, because he has a passion for competing. That's what separates him (from the rest)."
The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Taylor separated himself from then-No. 13 Kansas on Friday in USF's 37-34 victory in Tampa. Taylor rushed for 72 yards on 11 carries and scored a touchdown. He also had a special-teams tackle. Taylor finally reaped some of the benefits of giving up his body. Still, he said his stand-out performance was minor compared to what his team accomplished.
"I feel it was a great win for all of us," Taylor said. "It was something we all needed to go through. Kansas is good and everybody knows that, and (the win) is what the team needed. I'm just one person on the team."
But his breakout game came with a heavy heart.
On Sept. 7, Taylor's grandfather, Albert Blount, passed away in Miami. Taylor said he often visited his grandfather, and he went to south Florida every summer to see Blount. Taylor said Blount was a hard worker and family-oriented. Taylor attended his grandfather's funeral Saturday morning.
"I was close with my granddaddy," he said. "Obviously, he was watching over me, because I was able to do some good things. I know he would have wanted me to play. He was a good person and good man."
As fate would have it, Taylor returns to Miami on Saturday when the 12th-ranked Bulls (3-0) play Florida International at 5 p.m.
This is the second meeting between the schools. Two years ago, South Florida escaped with a 21-20 victory.
The Bulls have five running backs who get significant playing time, so Taylor realizes this could be someone else's week to shine, and he's cool with that.
Just let him bust a wedge.
"I'm just glad I get a chance to play on special teams," Taylor said. "I just try to be as physical as I can. I'm not one of those 6-foot-3, 250-pound guys, so I try to get in my mind to be as aggressive as I can."
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