Taylor a perfect fit for Islanders
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
It's hard to imagine the Hawaiian Islanders' Nian Taylor fighting for playing time last season with another arenafootball2 team.
But it happened and that's why he left the Richmond Speed and joined the Islanders with five games remaining in their inaugural season.
"I was sharing time" Taylor said of his stint in Richmond. "I told their coach I'm a better player than this, could you send me somewhere where I can play and they sent me here and everything's turned out great."
The Islanders are 5-2 in games Taylor has played in, including a 2-0 start this season.
He has averaged 5.6 receptions and 102.3 yards per game, 16 of his 39 receptions have been for touchdowns and he has led the Islanders in receiving yards in six consecutive games.
The Riverside, Calif., native debuted for the Islanders against the Bakersfield Blitz on June 22 after playing eight games for Richmond. Taylor had four receptions for 76 yards and four tackles in a 56-48 loss, and made a strong first impression.
"When he came in to join our team last year, we hadn't even seen him," said Doug Semones, the Islanders defensive coordinator and special teams coach. "He met us in Bakersfield and all of a sudden he's making plays and hitting people. And I was real excited when I saw that."
The Islanders return to play Bakersfield (0-2) tonight at Centennial Garden. Kickoff for the National West game is set for 4 p.m. (HST).
Taylor, who is 6 feet 2 and 205 pounds, reminds quarterback Darnell Arceneaux of a couple of former All-Pro receivers, who possessed size, speed and athletic ability.
"He's the kind of guy — like Michael Irvin, Art Monk, Lynn Swann — who can go up and get the ball and make a quarterback look good," Arceneaux said. "A lot of the throws I throw him, it's all him."
Taylor, 26, has also been a difference maker as a defensive back and kick returner.
He had 17 tackles and two interceptions last season, and ranks second on the team this season with 8.5 tackles.
"He makes plays and he's real physical," Semones said.
Taylor, who played four years at Washington State, has returned four kicks this season for an average of 24.8 yards.
"If he gets the ball clean off the net and gets going north and south, he doesn't jitter bug, he gets headed one way and he's either going to bust it out or get drilled," Semones said. "And that's how the good returners do it, they don't dance and go east and west, they go north and south full speed."
In addition to his on-field production, first-year head coach Cal Lee said Taylor helps the team in other ways.
"Nian is such a classy guy," Lee said. "He's just a complete ballplayer, great team leader on the field, off the field. He cares so much for the players, the football team and it spreads to the rest of the team. And that's why we have such a great family thing going on right now."
Before the season, Taylor tried out for the New York Dragons of the af1, but got cut and rejoined the Islanders.
"No, I don't feel like I got a fair shot," Taylor said. "I wasn't getting enough reps. They didn't give me a chance to do what I can do."
