Mason Taylor Talks About His Freshmen Year, Dealing With Internet Hate + Hopes For Next Season

Welcome to another episode of our Busting Spring Tour. First, we have to shout out our presenting sponsor to the Chevy Soverado, specifically the EV which I'm sure you'll probably get one day.

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There's like, hopefully it's like nineteen hundred electric chargers that are out there, and Chevy is doing their best to make sure everyone has an electric vehicle, and the Chevy Silverado is the pinnacle of evs. EV's everyone everywhere, Chevy everyone for There we go. Let's get into Mason Taylor. An absolute pleasure to have you on the podcast here. How do we open him up? I feel like he's a little yeah, you know what I mean.

You can feel it?

Yeah, you can feel it a little bit, feel a little I mean you're going to your sophomore year.

Right, yeah? How old?

Eighteen?

Wow? You're still eighteen? When's your birthday?

May?

Nice?

Bro?

So I'm pretty young.

Any big plans for your birthday coming up?

Fred's David Buster's probably probably David Busters, Yeah, busties, honest, probably football, so we'll probably still be here.

Dude, talk about your first year like you were a true freshman, you know, we can talk about how you didn't get out of bounds right away in the Florida State game. We can also talk about the two point conversion it gets Bama to win the game.

I mean, or wherever you want.

Yeah, the whole the whole season was crazy. I mean, coming from high school, it's one hundred percent different from how you prepare. And then the games and basically the crowd. That was the biggest thing to me.

I remember the first game going out out there, I was like, what the hell is this?

Just like going on seeing eighty thousand people just watching you and I that was again with the first wake up call to college was probably after that game. I've gotten so many hate comments and dms after that. My phone was blowing up. I'm like, what is this? And I had a buddy, Garrett Nessmayer telling me the shower. He was like, he was like, welcome to college football. Like your phone's gonna be ringing twenty four to seven. So that was that was my big wake up call, basically,

And I'm looking forward to next year too. Brother.

It seems like you there was a lot of ups and downs, but dealing with the haters of social media, everyone's got a voice. Now, I'm curious, as young as you are, how did you after that first game and you're still getting all this hate mail and all this different stuff, Like how did you handle that in your head at going further into your your freshman year.

Yeah, I mean at first it was like kind of like you kind of trying to come up with excuse and stuff like that.

But you kind of just gotta all all all your tough.

Like I would say, like you kind of try to defend yourself like, oh it wasn't me and blah blah blah. But you kind of half the people, or more than half the people, don't even know what the fuck they're talking about. So I think that's that's a big thing. Just dial Yeah, and basically basically just looking at like your support, like your teammates and coaches, like this is the only people we need and the only people we have.

So in your family.

But other than that, I think after that first game, all the other hate I came after that, I kind of just brush it off your shoulders and keep playing. And then it happens moments like like the Bamma game, I had people telling me and my DMS, I'm sorry, and I would scroll up and it was like if you blah blah blah blah, and it's the same people what I was saying a few week one.

So uh so, yeah, I just let to brush off my shoulders.

Now I really don't mind it at all. But it's definitely been.

Growing out yourself in a little bit of a hole there, thinking, like you said, the excuses, which everyone does. Every someone like points something out like oh like when I was like you give up the sack and you be like, bro, that wasn't me. But like getting away from the keyboard is say like, because you don't have to fight, that battle has got to be tough to do.

Definitely, the tough part is not trying to respond back, because you respond and then it just so that I've never respawned in one of those, and.

He did respond like once in a while though, like sometimes you gotta let her. Let a fucker know, like, hey, listen, you.

Talked about that social social brand. Yeah, yeah, sure, because it's something that's constant, Like it's not you handle it when you're eighteen, so it never happened again. Like I was still fighting the same demons at twenty seven in the league, just thinking about like, you know, because you take everything personal because you care so much.

Yeah, you hear a lot and people don't see how much you put into it.

Exactly, and you just want to be keyboard warriors.

Yeah, and you and you're like, yeah, what the hell is going on accounts that have one one follower? Yeah dude, always him too, no profile pick. They made it up, like damn yeah that day they made.

It the matter the most for whatever reason.

You'll see like nine comments are like all positive and there's that tenth one. Yeah, that one's like you suck something basic?

Yeah, bro, do I nerve?

Yeah, it does. Working through that stuff and it's only gonna get worse, honestly, Like the because you seem like you're the from the beginning of the year to the end of the year from MO everyone was telling us about you is that you started to do this. So you have a lot to look forward to, especially in your college career, Like as you become more of a nationally recognized player, there's gonna be more hate. Like some dude in Philadelphia, does it come for you?

He doesn't even know yet. It's one game, Yeah.

That's what it is. What are your expectations going into this sophomore year ending the way your freshman year did. And also you didn't even early enroll, Like you just showed up to campus and you're like, I'm just gonna play for LSU immediately.

Yeah, it definitely took a lot of work to get back in the and really the playbook is the hardest thing. I mean there's so many ins and outs, and you can know the plays, but you can know that you have to know the defenses and like what they do and stuff and that.

So it was definitely a lot to handle.

So going into this season, I think I definitely have high expectations and I'm looking forward to that. I mean, that's why i came here and that's what I'm gonna do. But yeah, I definitely have high expectations, but I think I think I'm gonna have a great year and learn from my mistakes from last year and watch the film and get with the coaches and see how I can exceed and keep getting better because I don't want to be, you.

Know, constant. It's like an average player.

You want to keep getting better and better until you until you retire, until your time's come.

What made you want to come to LSU?

See that? I honestly don't know.

I mean I've had I have, I had twenty something offers, but I would talk to Florida, Bama and here, and I think, like, I think it was kind of God because at first Alabama would kind of it was like kind of like brushing me off their shoulders, like I would hear less and less from them. Same with Florida. I mean, Florida had a coaching change too, but I feel like it worked out perfect because every school like

And then it was just pointing LSU. So I think I just made it just in the.

Come here so that Bama game field sweet?

Then yeah, yeah.

Like I kind of got brush up.

Then you can get made a mistake too. That could have been a slam dunk. Yeah in your backyard.

My dad is really good friends with Saban because he played for him at the Dolphins, So that was that he I think I think he might have gave him a call to that game. Savan gave my dad a call and and talk ship or whatever, but it.

Was it was your dad wanting you to go to BAM or play for saving or how is your old man in this?

So then because obviously you come.

From a pedigree of Jason Taylor, I mean Zach Thomas is in there too, Like how pivotal was your dad in all this recruiting.

I mean he let me do make the right decisions and make my decision like what I want to do, But he definitely wanted me to go to a big program. But he was he was fin He loves l s U now, but he he loved Bama l s U. He loved the top schools, he loved the SEC. He didn't want me going to a CC or anywhere like that. He wanted me to go to big time down.

He didn't look at the big ten. Michigan off for you.

Uh No, Michigan did not offer me.

What about Nebraska? The Nebraska shot.

They didn't offer me either.

But no, my mind was focused on the SEC too at that point.

Damn bro, Yeah you got these boys brainwashing south bum Nah.

I think he was happy with my decision.

Yeah, when you got when you left Florida came to Louisiana, Like, what was it like acclimating to this kind of culture because it's a very unique culture, a lot of French influence. Everyone here just rides with LSU always. It's gotta be fun. But like, was there a difference for you between Florida?

There's not much except the food.

I mean the first first couple of weeks I got here, I game maybe fifteen pounds, asked, yeah, yeah exactly. So other than that the food, I mean, the culture is differently. Oh of football here is like so important, and you see fans everywhere at the airport screaming and are like, I've been screaming out of the airport, amazing, like all that stuff. So the fans are definitely fans are definitely crazy, but they're kind of, I want to say, I want to say this the nicest way I would say, bipolar.

Eagles by the Philadelphia Eagles vibe.

Yeah, Louisiana does have it.

They love it so much. So if you lose or whatever, it just it literally ruins.

All of them have a clockie. When football season ends, it's like, fuck, dude, there's this many days till next football. Yeah, we're that excited about it.

Yeah, what should we hear with them next? What?

What if you want?

What was the laugh?

I was just laughing at you?

What was I doing? My thinking face. Yeah, you gotta think of where can you go with this?

Like?

Do we ask him more about his old man? Your dad was a legend. What was it like growing up under his roof?

Was it?

Did it suck at times? Was it like you all want to carve my own lane about growing up in that house?

I mean a lot of a lot of peop people say like let them let him build his own path or whatever, But I don't. I don't like when people say, oh, Jason Teler song, I don't mind. It doesn't bother me at all. I mean, uh, my dad did what he did in the league. I mean, yeah, I'm trying to create my own path too, But I don't mind when people say, oh, he's Jason Deeler's son. People Actually, some people get mad and they're like they're like, oh, let him have his own past.

I mentioned his dad, his uncle, blah blah blah.

Like I think, I think that's cool to be honest with with them both playing football, on them being so good at what they're at so But other than that, yeah, I mean, it wasn't anything crazy. I feel like I feel at a young age, I really didn't think of.

It like that. Yeah, I was like, my dad plays football, blah blah blah.

But I didn't think he was like that good until I grew up and saw like what he did and actually as accomplished.

So what old were you when you start figuring out like he was a savage and your uncle like Zach Thomas.

My teens, savage teens, I'd say, yeah, eleven, twelve, thirteen, when you start getting the phone and stuff like that.

But people come over to your house, you're like, holy shit, dude, you know wreck dudes, right, yeah, dude, when when you look towards the future NFL, would you grew up as a fan of Dolphins?

Yeah, you could say. I mean, I'm not really a fan of any NFL team. I don't watch the NFL. I think college is way more interesting to watch. But I would say, yeah, the Dolphins with my dad and uncle played for there. But what are you trying to say, Like, if.

We're looking, if you're thinking like the future, this is where I would want to play.

I want to go to Miami if you want to go to Miami, Yeah, not just because my dad was there, but just the area. I mean, I don't want to live in just Yeah, exactly somewhere breezing cold. Yeah, but Miami out because living there and it's really nice and stuff like that. I want to live where I grew up.

Who do you watch in the league and want to mold your game after? Like who are tight ends you watch weekend and week out?

Travis Kelcey, Travis Kelcey.

George Kittle is another good one, boy Andrews from Baltimore, But yeah, mainly Travis kelce because I mean, blocking all around. George kill is amazing, but I think I think Travis kelce is route running opens up so many things Kan City could do for them. So definitely watching him and just his routes and stuff like that. He just knows how to get open. I don't really know how to explain it. I mean, he just knows where people are gonna be and just goes in between him and stuff

When you think about your personal development going from year one to year two, what are the major things that you think you should focus on to become a better all around player?

Definitely gets stronger.

You know, I'm being eighteen years old in the SEC is kind of hard putting your nose in there with all those defensive ends that are six six two seventy and stuff like that. So definitely gets stronger, stronger, faster, definitely better blocking, catching too, I mean just like almost like everything whatever.

Yeah, no, what do you feel like you lack?

Most probably pass protection because we we also as tight ends.

We block a lot in this program.

So if that's an inside zone, outside zone, and we'll probably pass pro maybe ten times a game, yeah, and we'll probably run block maybe thirty forty thirty five times, maybe half the play is probably running. So definitely, yeah, blocking, but I think past past probably definitely need to work on.

There's got to be a crazy level of anxiety you get when a play action passes called on the back end because you're you're going against their pass rusher.

Yeah, and you're usually by.

Yourself because the other offense linemen are in combination. Yeah, that's gotta be.

Yeah, definitely, And definitely when we're in a boundary or something like that and we're going against their jack, their their pass rusher, and yeah, you're putting me on their pass rushers, Like.

It's a crazy concept.

But put her put our all American Will Campbell on them, put Memry Jones on them.

Why do I have to block one on?

Implement stuff in your in your in those calls where if like let's say the tackle on the garter in combination, once he knows that their backers not coming, do they tell him to look out to help you?

Yeah?

Some Yeah, there's some some plays like that.

Yeah, because you need that. And if I were you, if I was, what's that? That's what I was gonna say. I would I would sit a brother that backer doesn't come, you get they.

Will, they will right away.

Look at this look at this guy, because it's like you can be a great pass blocker as a tight end, but at the end of the day, like you weigh as much as the other individual and he is trained. You're more so trained to right. You want to get in front of the guy and die slow death. He's trying to get to the quarterback and you want to catch the ball. So it's like a way harder process. Like when you go through that, it's like, hey, just don't get beat inside.

Yeah, but I try not to jump at him too much. Trying to not do that, Yeah, because if they and go right to the quarterback, that's on me. So I try not to jump at him. I kind of try to just stay patient. The main thing is I put my hands outside a lot, and I bet you any defense knows that was or tape. I put my hands outside, So that's another thing I'll work on, is putting my hands inside.

But yeah, other than that, pass protection, I definitely need to work on what's the of.

Stress in pass protection? When the guy's inside you or in like head up on you or outside you, what are you like?

Man outside outside and outside you're by yourself. If he's inside, you can wash him into the tack.

Yeah, hopefully put him into the legs or something.

Trip him up if he if he's outside of me, then I'm like, shit.

You try to get that shitty passed that in like let me see what those boys been doing over there.

Then he's got inside outside through you to go through.

So do you ever think about living and dying by the sort of like, Hey, this is a play action, So I'm gonna run at this guy and make him hopefully hopefully he thinks he's a run run. Well, a lot of guys in the SEC are playing past first.

I think they'll play pass first a little. Yeah. Yeah.

If they're playing past first, you gotta and you also got to understand the sticks, right, yeah, exactly, second and ten if to get back on track play you need to get your exactly exactly.

What what game are you looking forward to most this year?

Florida stated percent The way we lost last year is brutal, and I think we have a lot to prove this year. I mean it was our first time when we played them. Last years are first time to all together, new staff, a bunch of new players, So definitely, definitely Florida State.

We got to get our link back for sure.

Yeah, growing up because a lot of guys here are talking about how you from a situational standpoint, like you understand the game and you're in that two minute drive at the end of the game, were you thinking I got to get out of balance right now? And how much does coach Kelly preach like situational football four minute two minutes?

Yeah?

We yeah, for all these all these situations we do in practice. I mean like yesterday or Tuesday, we had four periods of two minutes like in our coaches and meetings spend fifteen minutes talking about about if you get the first down, clock stops, if we have so many different calls and signals for like if we need to get the first down and take a knee like and get down on the ground, we need to save time. We I mean, they go through everything. So it's definitely

I'm just sprinting over there and just dove.

I actually one dude try to swipe my feet on the way over there, and I jumped over him and you see it on the replay my ankle, like I fucked on my ankle really bad when I when I did that, and I landed like this, and that's why I was stumbling, and that's when I dove out of bounds. Said, I twisted my ankle really bad.

But they said your knee was still in bounce or your was your elbow.

I think I think it was my knee.

My knee that would have been alive.

Like if they would have called it would have been.

Over since it was a down though the clock stopped and we got another play. If they called it right there down, then we would they would have spotted the ball. The ball would have been over.

In those situational situations, what are you telling yourself going to the line, Like if you're in a two minute situation, there's like ten seconds left and you have to get a field goal, Like for the guys that are watching this looking up to you already, Like one of the things you tell yourself in your mind.

Just stick to what you're taught.

I mean, yeah, like you said, ten seconds left, you if you get the ball, get out of bounds. If you if you catch the ball in bounds and you get a certain amount of yards, if you get the first down, get down.

If you get a certain amount.

Of the yards and you get tackled, run the ball to the ref and there'd be a mad eight call on a a field goal team start running on. So you really just gotta you gotta really think, and you gotta be smart in those situations so you don't screw over your team.

But there's definitely a lot of pressure.

But once you once like we wrap it up in practice almost every day, and I think you just stick to the fundamentals and what you're coached, and you'll be prepared for those moments.

And making sure your teammates are. You know, some times when you're getting late in the game to everybody is just exhausted and everybody's just yelling.

You got to keep your team into the accountaboo, don't.

Toss the ball doing run the ball doom you know, rable.

You'll see the refs out there, Yes, look at bad body.

Ballers, Yeah, the ballers, Yeah, yeah, Nero hand one.

Yeah, there's a lot of situations.

Yeah, what a tough way to go out to in that Florida State game. We keep bringing that up. But the field goal at the end, it's tough.

The been fun.

This was solid.

Yeah, man, we really feel you've got a lot to look forward to you being on the squad as long as you stay healthy and I'm sure your old man will watch this. Hey brother, big fan. We would love to have you on the bus one day as well. I just want to get that in Zac Thomas, you know, white linebacker.

I'll hit them up.

Yeah. Thanks a lot, though, Bro, this is awesome.

We appreciate you, yep for sure.

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