CIS Football Player Profile: Jahmeek Taylor, Saint Mary’s Huskies (19 of 26)
HALIFAX, N.S. - Jahmeek Taylor, the reigning Atlantic conference most outstanding player, has become a multi-dimensional weapon for the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Source: John Keefe, AUS and Lori Forbes, Saint Mary's Sports Info
Name: Jahmeek Taylor
University: Saint Mary’s
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
High school / Cegep: St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Secondary School
Position(s): Inside Receiver, Punt / Kick
Returner
Academic program: Arts
Year of eligibility: 4
Height: 5-9
Weight: 170
Key stats 2010: Appeared in all eight regular season games, leading the Atlantic conference with seven touchdowns and CIS with 1,439 all-purpose yards...Jahmeek caught 21 passes for 332 yards receiving and added 246 yards rushing on 26 carries...He established a new Saint Mary’s school record for punt return yardage in a single-season with a CIS-leading 711, the second highest total in Atlantic conference history. His three punt return TD’s also led the nation.
Awards & honours (since start of CIS
career):
- 2010: AUS most outstanding player, second team CIS
all-Canadian (RET), Atlantic conference all-star at both inside
receiver and kick returner...Named the CIS special teams player of
the week twice...Named the AUS special teams player of the week
three times.
- 2008: AUS rookie of the year...Named the week 8 CIS and AUS
special teams player of the Week.
PROFILE
Jahmeek Taylor, the reigning Atlantic conference most outstanding player, has become a multi-dimensional weapon for the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Few teams in CIS football have such an explosive and versatile player as the Huskies boast with Taylor, a 5-foot-9 Arts student from Mississauga, Ont.
“He has exceptional vision and can anticipate plays before they happen,” says Saint Mary’s head coach Steve Sumarah. “As a receiver, he is our big play guy and is a threat at anytime. As a returner, opposing teams will have to keep the ball out of his hands.”
Jahmeek, twice the CIS player of the week for special teams last season, hopes to improve on the team’s 5-3 record (6-4 overall, including post-season).
Having been to three CIS semifinal bowl games in three years, he isn’t just shy about his goals for the 2011 season.
“My goals for this year are to finally win a CIS semifinal bowl game and help lead the Huskies to a National championship,” says Taylor, also the 2008 AUS rookie of the year.
Taylor led his squad in all-purpose yards in 7-of-8 regular season games in 2010 and added another 248 all-purpose yards in a 35-8 Mitchell Bowl loss to the Calgary Dinos.
Football has kept Jahmeek busy during the off-season, with appearances at the 2011 CIS East-West Bowl hosted by the University of Western Ontario in May and helping the Canadian Senior Team capture a silver medal at the IFAF Senior World Championships in July hosted in Austria.
Taylor, who has accumulated an impressive 1,303 punt return yards in just three seasons, has an outside chance of catching former Mount Allison Mounties star Gary Ross this year as the conference’s all-time record holder.
Jahmeek is also moving up the Atlantic conference’s all-time kick return yardage list. He currently has 671 career kick return yards and needs just 36 yards to move into the top-15 on the all-time AUS list.
Ross owns the AUS records for both punt return yards (1,981 yards) and kickoff return yards (1,537 yards) over his five seasons from 2005-10.
Only one time in AUS football history, from 1999 to 2004, have the Huskies won five consecutive AUS banners. Taylor and the four-time defending AUS champions will look to replicate the feat this season with another Loney Bowl championship.
Saint Mary’s will host the Acadia Axemen in an exhibition contest on September 3rd before kicking off the regular season campaign Friday, September 9th at home versus the Mount Allison Mounties.
Jahmeek’s Year-by-Year Profile:
2010: (Junior) Selected to play in the 2011 CIS East West Bowl at Western...Named to the Senior Men's National Team that won silver at the 2011 IFAF World Championships, July 8-16 in Austria...Named a second team CIS all-Canadian (RET)...Named the AUS most outstanding player...Appeared in all eight regular season games, leading the Atlantic conference with seven touchdowns and CIS with 1,439 all-purpose yards...Jahmeek caught 21 passes for 332 yards receiving and added 246 yards rushing on 26 carries...He established a new Saint Mary’s school record for punt return yardage in a single-season with a CIS-leading 711, the second highest total in Atlantic conference history...His three punt return TD’s also led the nation...Named the week 7 AUS special teams player of the week...Named the week 5 AUS and CIS special teams player of the week after returning two punts for touchdowns (10/07/10 vs. StFX)...Named the week 4 AUS and CIS special teams player of the week after picking up 188 yards on punt returns (10/01/10 vs. Acadia), the fourth-highest total ever recorded in an Atlantic conference game
2009: (Sophomore) Appeared in all 8 regular season games, leading the Huskies with 829 all-purpose yards (fourth in AUS)…Led the Atlantic conference with 340 punt return yards.
2008: (Freshman) Named the Saint Mary’s rookie athlete of the year... Named the Atlantic University Sport rookie of the year... Finished third in AUS all-purpose yards (668) in just 6 regular season games... Led the conference in kick return yards (360) and kick return average (22.5 yards/return)... Named the week 8 AUS and CIS special teams player of the week...Scored his first career touchdown in week 7 at Mount Allison (10/18/08) on a 25-yard rush.
Before Saint Mary’s: Attended St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School in Mississauga...played for the Mississauga Warriors of the OVFL where he was named a 2007 GTA all-star.
Saint Mary’s Head Coach Steve Sumarah on Jahmeek:
“Jahmeek is a rare blend of speed and quickness. He has exceptional vision and can anticipate plays before they happen. As a receiver, he is our big play guy and is a threat at anytime. As a returner, opposing teams will have to keep the ball out of his hands.”
“He potentially could be the best player in the conference again this season and possibly the country. A lot of factors come into play but no question we have high expectations for him. If he progresses like he did last year, he should be drafted in the top two rounds of the 2012 CFL Draft.”
Did You Know: Jahmeek’s favourite CFL team is the Toronto Argos...his favourite NFL team is the Miami Dolphins...His favourite food is a Jamaican dish, steamed fish with okra in the middle.
Getting to know Jahmeek Taylor:
Q. What brought you to Saint Mary’s?
A. In my recruiting year, the Saint Mary’s football team
was unstoppable. After winning the AUS championship and competing
in the Vanier Cup, it was clear that Saint Mary's was the team to
beat. The beautiful city of Halifax also swayed my decision; living
right on the water makes for the perfect atmosphere to complete
your studies along with pursuing my football career.
Q. What has been the biggest adjustment from high school to
university level football?
A. It would have to be the coaching. Having two full time
coaches dedicated to their jobs allows us as players to feel
valued, and keeps the program running smoothly.
Q. What has been your best moment in a Saint Mary’s
uniform so far?
A. Meeting and getting to know all the talented players and on
a personal level as well as getting nominated for the Hec Crighton
award.
Q. Who has been the most influential person in your life
(and why)?
A. There have been so many people that have influenced my life
in a positive manner but, I would have to say living with my three
older cousins really pushed me to where I am today. They taught me
how to compete and to never settle.
Q. One thing I cannot live without
is...?
A. I wouldn’t be able to live without would be the
support I get from all of my friends and family.
Q. My dream vacation destination
is...?
A. My dream vacation right now would be Hawaii.
Q. Tell us one thing that fans may not know about you?
A. One thing that fans may not know about me is that I attend
every single class.
Video’s of Jahmeek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXqA-9JJhsM
Follow Jahmeek on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jahjahbanks23
Jahmeek’s Career Stats Summary:
RUSHING GP No. Yds TD
Long Avg/G Avg/C
-----------------------------------------------
2008 6
6 34 1 25
5.67 5.67
2009 8
5 52 0 22
6.50 10.40
2010 8
26 246 4 34
30.75 9.46
Total 22 37
332 5 34 15.09
8.97
RECEIVING GP No. Yds TD Long
Avg/G Avg/C
-----------------------------------------------
2008 6
1 22 0
22 3.67 22.00
2009 8
17 276 1 39 34.50
16.24
2010 8
21 332 0 62 41.50
15.81
Total 22 39
630 1 62 28.64 16.15
PUNT RET. GP No. Yds TD
Long Avg
----------------------------------------
2008 6
29 252 1 52
8.69
2009 8
45 340 0 40
7.56
2010 8
50 711 3 83 14.22
Total 22 124
1303 4 83 10.51
KICK RET. GP No. Yds TD
Long Avg
----------------------------------------
2008 6
16 360 0 35 22.50
2009 8
9 161 0 24 17.89
2010 8
5 150 0 49 30.00
Total 22 30
671 0 49 22.37
ALL-PURPOSE GP Rush Rcv PRet
KRet Total Avg/G
------------------------------------------------------
2008
6 34 22
252 360 668 111.33
2009
8 52 276 340
161 829 103.62
2010
8 246 332 711
150 1439 179.88
Total 22
332 630 1303 671
2936 133.45