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Miami Hurricanes standout DT Leonard Taylor opened up about his excitement for the upcoming season, the challenges in practice, and the progression of his personal game.
Taylor began by expressing his eagerness for the season, "I feel good, very excited to go out there and play with my team. We've been grinding every day, just getting ready for it."
When asked about the change in dynamics while facing Miami's offense in practice this year, Taylor acknowledged, "There are a lot of new faces on the o-line and a new scheme."
He also touched upon the prowess of freshman OT Francis Mauigoa whom he frequently goes up against. "The bigger brother, the O-Lineman, he's very athletic. I've never seen a lineman move like he can," Taylor praised.
Discussing the thrill of the first game of the season, Taylor drew a parallel with his high school days, "After that first snap, it's just like high school again." He also mentioned how he offers words of encouragement to the younger players who might be grappling with their first-game nerves, advising them to "block out all the noise and just go out there and play."
One of the fresh faces, Josh Horton, caught has caught Taylor's eye. "Josh Horton, he's playing good, he's really explosive," Taylor remarked, adding that he's very dedicated to his craft.
Taylor seemed particularly upbeat about the prospects of the pass rush for the defensive line, "We could be real good; we got a lot of long legs, like long arms, tall guys."
Talking about his journey, Taylor mentioned the evolution in his mindset from his freshman year to now, "It's been different, my mindset totally changed since I've been a freshman. Time has gone by so fast that I’m already a junior.”
