When Rendrick Taylor received the call from his friend and Colorado’s director for football sports performance Maurice Sims to join the Buffaloes’ strength and conditioning team, he considered it an “opportunity” of a lifetime.
Taylor, one of Colorado’s four strength and conditioning assistants, cultivated a relationship with Sims through professional networking events over the years, helping him land the job of overseeing the athletic development of CU’s offensive and defensive lines.
“I felt like it was an opportunity I really couldn’t turn down,” Taylor said.
In 2015, Taylor started his coaching career as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Clemson University after playing five seasons in the program and brief stints with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. After Clemson, he spent four seasons at NC State before making additional stops at Middle Tennessee and Clark Atlanta before joining Colorado.
The offensive and defensive lines were critical areas of concern for Colorado during the 2023 season. Although the ’24 campaign sits more than five months away, Taylor is already instilling the “foundation” for the players who will be playing in the trenches this fall.
“Guys are ready to get out there… put the pads on,” Taylor said. “… Listening to the guys converse and seeing how well they gel together; you would think they have known each other for years.”
Part of Taylor establishing a winners’ mindset on both sides of the ball is earning the trust of his players. The Clio, S.C., native grew up in a single-parent home and understands the importance of players feeling like their teammates are family when life intersects football.
But when it is time for players to hit the gridiron, football is the top priority. Taylor considers the offensive and defensive lines as the “thermostat” of the team.
“If we’re down, they [offensive and defensive lines] are going to feed off that energy,” Taylor said. “We harp on no energy vampires. … Whatever you’re dealing with, leave it at the door.”
Colorado will begin spring practice on March 18 and the Buffaloes will hold their spring game on April 27 at Folsom Field.
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