Troy Taylor, Stanford Head Football Coach

Let's talk about that crazy comfort behind victory over the weekend. Twenty-nine to nothing down at halftime, and Stanford ends up winning the game in a wild affair in overtime. And now joining us is the head football coach at Stanford in Troy Taylor. Coach, first off, congratulations.

What a win that was for your program. Appreciate you doing this and how you been? I'm doing great. Thanks.

Thanks for having me. So let me start you off when you're down 29 nothing at halftime and then you have that comeback and then you go into the locker room after the game and you had a second or two to process it. Just what's going through your mind? What was a wild victory for you guys? Yeah, you know, I mean as a and I'm a I call plays so I'm pretty in the moment throughout the entire game in terms of you know, Justin your what you're doing schematically time management all those things and and then you get into overtime, obviously, and then you set up for the field goal and I had a pretty good idea.

He would make it Josh Carty's an incredible kicker and then when the ball goes through, you know, I always check for flags first and then and then after that it hits you. It's like wow, we really pulled this off and then then you allow yourself to to celebrate and you're really happy just watching watching your players. Enjoy it so much and then you know, brace a few people. My son Noah was there and gave me a hug and then going to the locker room and there they want to celebrate. So my message was really quick and then then we kind of had to do some other stuff media stuff, but it was fun. It's a it was an incredible experience one of those games. I told the guys, you know, I played in a lot of games of coaching a lot of games and they have and will that is one that will remember forever for sure. Just naturally going into that game. Everyone's going to talk about what coach prime is building at Colorado and this is your first year as a head coach at Stanford and you're trying to build that trust build those relationships with your players. You know, not everyone coach could be Sonny Dykes and go to a national championship game in your one with the new program a win like this. Does it build a little bit more trust and camaraderie inside the locker room?

Yeah, I think so. You know, one of the things about our guys that I've been really impressed with is their resiliency and their focus from week to week. You know, we had some some tough losses that could have went our way and I was really worried early on, you know, because we just got here in December. So we're learning about our team and our guys. I was really worried about them going in the tank and losing some of their their their spark and it just never happened with our guys. So I stopped worried about them and they were resilient throughout the entire year. They come ready to go at the beginning of the week and really focused and then compete. So for these guys, I tell them all the time. They're an inspiration to me how they prepare how they go about their business our scout team guys.

They give so much detail and effort. It's really an incredible group of young men. And so really happy that they were able to see, you know, a lot of times you get in those games and you come back and you know, you fall a little bit short. And so there's, you know, whatever the moral victory or you're happy that you guys competed but they got rewarded with a win there and to finalize it in that way is is pretty special being down 29 to nothing at halftime is Troy Taylor is here with us. What did you sense from your guys in the locker room at the half?

And what was the vibe like when you guys went to the locker room? Yeah, I'm disappointed. Everybody's very disappointed me included. And so talked with our, you know, we split off offense defense talk to our coaches and my message to the team was everybody thinks it's, you know, like I read read your kibblings if or something at halftime and did something inspiration.

I really didn't. I just I said, hey, that wasn't very good first half. We're going to see how we compete in the second half.

And that was it really we went out. They were very focused. There was no bickering. There was no finger pointing.

There's nobody yelling, you know, come on or any of those ridiculous things. They were intent and focused and then we got to stop early on, you know, they Colorado got the ball to start the second half and they went forward on fourth down. We got to stop got the ball in a short field and then we were able to score. So right from the beginning of the second half.

We had a little bit of hope and it would all start with our defense, you know, giving us field position getting off the field quickly and it's simple to have a comeback like that. You need players to be historical when you're down 29 to nothing your wide receiver did that when he scores a 97 yard touchdown. I thought that would be his best play of the game. But then in overtime, I still don't know how he real didn't in that catch coach.

That was insane. He is, you know, Alec Eimann or he's he's a he's really talented kid and he's but he's young and experienced hadn't played a ton of ton of football, you know, and we knew he had it in him, you know earlier in the game. If you probably remember Zack, he had a wide open touchdown. They kind of misplayed the ball and didn't come down with it.

A lot of guys will go in the tank. He did not. I don't think he caught a ball in the first half. He did all his damage in the second half. Yeah, and the catch in overtime, you know, I've seen many times guys try and pin the ball in the back of a defender, but it almost always comes out. So we had a great angle is right there on our sideline and you know, just didn't the expectation of him being able to hold on to it throughout that was very low and then I'm like, holy smokes.

He hung on to it. So that was a that was an incredible play seeing should or Sanders and Travis Hunter and coaching up against them. Just what were the impressions with that lethal combination that's now back together after the unfortunate Travis Hunter injury. Yeah, I mean should or that the quarterback is really talented. I have a lot of respect for him really tough determined. He's great at the end of the game.

He's just seems to be the same guy. He's really carried them at the end of the games, which you know, you want your quarterback to do. And then yeah, they're skill guys are they're all good.

I mean Hunter. He's an exceptional player, you know, I know, you know, people were given a bad time for the one-on-ones, but he was exceptional at wide receiver. I mean, he really had an incredible game. So they're a talented team coach Sanders is doing a great job of getting that that city and really a college football world excited. He's brought in some good players and some good coaches and they're going to be good for a while. But with the future of the Pac-12, we know everyone's leaving right now and it's a shame to me because I look at the conference and you guys right now where the best conference in college football this season navigating those waters this year taking over a new spot in the tradition that Stanford has just how do you kind of reflect on what this has been like with all the uncertainty in college football with the changes. Yeah, there is a lot of irony that it's probably the best conference in the country this year and it's the last year.

I'm really disappointed. I'm sad that the conference is coming to an end now. I'm a you know, I grew up in California and watch the Pac-10 and then played in it and then became the Pac-12 and a lot of great players a lot of great teams a lot of great coaches really sad to see it end and that being said, you know, we're really in the moment. Our schedule is so difficult each week.

We're pretty focused on on the now. We're very grateful that we landed a spot in the ACC. We think it's a great fit. It's a great conference. It's our recruiting blueprint our footprint up the coast, you know, our guys are a lot of them from California, but most around that East Coast starting up top and going down to Florida.

And so for us, we think it's it's really in our wheelhouse. It's going to be great. We were recruiting really well, and I think it will only get better the fact that we can promise our guys that we're recruiting out there that they're going to be around the area probably three games a year. How do you reel your team back in after the emotions of a game like that? You know, it's a great thing to have where you get a big signature win, but there's a game next week against another really good team with a good coach and Chip Kelly and top 25 UCLA.

And what have you said so far early through the week for from your players? Yeah guys have been the same, you know, our message really is the same a win or a loss is to move on to enjoy it, but to be mindful. We're grateful it happened, but we're moving on to the to the next game and it just so happens. It's a really well coached team and a really good football team. So our mentality doesn't change obviously, I think winning gives you a little bit more energy a little bit more positive energy. But our guys said is the thing that's impressed me the most is they've been the same guys no matter what's happened.

I can count on them coming in and doing their thing and being focused and and get excited about competing against a really good UCLA team. Coach Short Taylor, I have an idea for you. I don't know what he's doing right now, but I keep on seeing Andrew Luck on the sidelines supporting his alma mater. Can we get him on the coaching staff here? We would love to get him involved as a coach Andrews, you know, obviously I admired him from afar and then once you know how much interaction had with him, but he is a he's one of the humblest nicest people you'll ever meet and he's been nothing but supportive. He comes to the game. He's encouraged and he knows all of our players after the game. He stood outside the locker room and congratulate every one of them that came out awesome. He's one of the most unique best people that I've ever been around and the more we can have him involved in our program the better last thing I'll ask you coach Troy Taylor after that incredible victory up against Colorado being down 29 to nothing in halftime and winning the game in overtime. You've gone up now against Caleb Williams this year Bo Nix as well.

And then you just saw Chidor Sanders who was the toughest quarterback that you guys had to prepare for this season. That's a great question. They're all great. Obviously, they're all a little bit different. I would say Caleb is probably the most difficult. I think what's what separates him from guys that I've seen in the past. He's really difficult to get on the ground, you know, you think of some of the great quarterbacks have played in the NFL. They're just hard to get on the ground and part of it is quickness. He's a lot stronger than you would think.

He keeps his eyes downfield. And then when trouble comes, I mean, you better have them boxed in with a couple people or he's going to get outside. So obviously Notre Dame did a did a I didn't see the game but I saw pops they were able to do that.

I don't know how they did it. But that he's pretty special, but they're all the all three of those guys Bo and Chidor obviously have a lot of respect. I think they're all really tough. They're really competitive and they got a huge skill set and they you know, the kid from Washington and in there. There's so many great quarterbacks in this conference, which makes it so difficult. How about your quarterback to know we all talk about the all the other quarterbacks in the Pac-12 and how loaded is from top to bottom. But how about Ash and Daniels because I put up with nearly 400 yards of passing and four touchdowns and didn't throw it in reception and let you guys in Russia the other night.

Yeah, thanks Zach. Yeah, he's he played really well. He's you know, we've been playing two guys ash obviously, and then Justin Lampson is another one. So they've been great for us, you know, it's tough. It's a it's the toughest position in sports and you know, if you're not always protected. Well, it makes it even more difficult and we're getting better and are protecting our quarterback. But these guys have been they've been tenacious and really good really happy for Ashton and how he played Friday night at Colorado.

He made some big plays avoided a lot of sacks and then Justin Lampson had a number of big runs for us. So it's really a team effort and I love both those guys. Where you dance in the locker room after the game, you know, I'm not I I grew up in the 80s. So I break dancing and on a move on a piece of cardboard and all that. I don't think anybody would appreciate it. So pretty good for the tick tock account. I'll tell you that. That is not my goal, but you are you're right.

It would be pretty good on tick tock. Well, keep on piling up those victories coach. It was insane performance on Saturday night. We appreciate you giving us a few minutes today Zach. Thanks for having me go cart.