SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 15, 2024

CJ Taylor

Vanderbilt Commodores

Press Conference

Q. What can be done about your defense to improve? You didn't win any SEC games last year. So what can be done about your defense?

CJ TAYLOR: I would say limiting space. Coach Lea talks about it all the time. The key to good defense is limiting space. Offenses, they try to maneuver and align certain ways to create space and I would say the first thing to do with good defense is limiting space.

Q. Going into the season, what's the mindset around the team and how do you feel like you guys are ready, I guess, for a bounceback type year?

CJ TAYLOR: I say the mindset is go in there with a chip on your shoulder. Obviously I know that we've improved. That's for to us put on display when we play Virginia Tech.

Q. We're getting to know London Humphreys over at Georgia. What did you see from him as a teammate last year and what do you feel he's capable of at Georgia?

CJ TAYLOR: He's fast. Obviously the speed's there. Whenever he was at Vanderbilt, we were close. Obviously I mentored him a little bit. He's a good guy. High character.

Q. When you're making progress year by year, what are some of the biggest growths that you see in this program? What are some of the biggest things you've made from last year to this year as a program?

CJ TAYLOR: I would say our team just looks bigger. We made a change in the strength program with Coach Steiner and everybody looks bigger, stronger, and hopefully we can go through the season with limited injuries.

Q. After last season, you probably could have gone anywhere. Why did you want to stay at Vanderbilt? What made you believe in this program?

CJ TAYLOR: That's a good question. I believe in what Coach Lea stands for. I came in with Coach Lea. I know what he's about. I trust him with my football career. That's ultimately why I stayed. Whenever he told the team that he was taking over as the DC, that was all I needed to hear. Obviously I'm changing to a traditional safety position. So when those two things checked off, I was all hands on deck.

Q. How excited are you for the new stadium, and what have you seen from it yet and what kind of new experiences will it bring Vanderbilt game day?

CJ TAYLOR: The south end zone is getting finished. It will be done by the time game time starts against Virginia Tech. And obviously that presents more seating, and I don't know what it looks like because I haven't been over there, but I'm interested to see what it looks like as well.

Q. Talk a little bit about being a student-athlete at Vanderbilt, especially with the rigorous academics. How hard is that to kind of balance and be a football player at Vanderbilt?

CJ TAYLOR: I'm sure it's hard everywhere but at Vanderbilt I can speak on it because I'm there, obviously. It's challenging. We're a top 15 school. I know it's challenging off the field and it's challenging on the field too because it's hard to win in this conference.

I would say it's challenging. But when you do hard stuff, it makes you better at the end of the day.

Q. What has been the biggest adjustment for you getting ready to play more safety and just getting ready for that role?

CJ TAYLOR: It's just seeing it from the third level. Obviously the game changes whenever you're looking at it from a different viewpoint. I mean, I have a lot of experience. I've started, I think, 18 games. So there will be bumps and bruises down the road but nothing I can't handle.

Q. When you look at the positives from last season, what do you hope to carry over to this one?

CJ TAYLOR: I think we force turnovers a lot, and with Coach Lea, with a more detailed defense, I know we can capitalize on that more.

Q. Tempers kind of flared last year against, with you guys, Tennessee. Can you just talk about that rivalry?

CJ TAYLOR: I mean, there's a rivalry that's been there before I got there, obviously. It's a battle of the state. So obviously there's built-up animosity as it is. But to go into it too much would be just obviously nerves. We both want to win when we play each other. I'll just leave it at that.

Q. Who would you say is the best dressed at Media Days?

CJ TAYLOR: You. (Laughter) I like them socks.

Q. I appreciate it. What about your fit?

CJ TAYLOR: My mom helped me pick this suit out. I think I'm pretty well dressed, but I ain't got nothing on you.

Q. Your thoughts on video replay. It's going to be available on the sidelines. How beneficial do you think that's going to be?

CJ TAYLOR: Before I got to college I thought it was already there. I saw the NFL games how the quarterback go over there when they miss a read or something. But to implement in the NCAA it's huge because if I mess up on something and I can go over there and see, like, I can't do that again because they're going to see it next time because they also have tablets as well.

I think it's huge and hopefully the points will go down.