At 6-feet-5-inches and 270 pounds, Taylor Doyle has signed, sealed and delivered his letter of intent to play Longhorn football.
The Lake Travis High School offensive lineman brings with him three Texas state championships, as well as confidence in Texas football and Texas coaches. This is in spite of witnessing a disappointing year at Texas, a 5-7 season marked by staggering losses and the exit of offensive line coach Mac McWhorter and offensive coordinator Greg Davis, two coaches that recruited Doyle.
“I was bummed out to see the departure of coach McWhorter and coach Davis because I know they have a lot to offer, but I understand the coaching changes,” Doyle said.
The recent hire of former Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin in addition to Major Applewhite’s promotion, who will work together as co-offensive coordinators, doesn’t disappoint Doyle.
“I’m really excited about this new coaching staff that was brought in,” Doyle said. “Now [we’ll] be getting the best from Boise State and the best from the Texas program in the past with Applewhite, so I think that can only benefit us.”
Doyle is expected to help rebuild a Longhorn offense which struggled last season. Texas ranked 50th in passing, 66th in rushing and 88th in scoring in 2010. The Longhorns will be under pressure to turn their offensive woes around. This will be something of a routine for Doyle, who has faced high expectations from a community that expects greatness.
“I definitely think there will be more pressure at the collegiate level, but our coaches at Lake Travis always stressed that ‘pressure makes diamonds.’ Without pressure, all you have is a lump of coal,” Doyle said. “I think pressure can only be good for us. It can either make or break. I know the new coaches are going to demand a lot from us, which I think will benefit in the long run.”
Amassing 85 knockdown blocks during his senior year, the all-state recruit was also taught a little about confidence during his time in
high school.
“At Lake Travis we knew how to win. Going into every game, we always knew we had a chance,” Doyle said. “I think it goes a long way when you go into a game expecting to win, while still realizing you have to work hard and play well to beat the other team. I think that confidence factor that they instilled in us at Lake Travis can carry over to the next level and help me be a leader.”
The all-state offensive lineman joins a recruiting class ranked third in the country according to <em>Rivals.com</em>. While Doyle has been talking extensively to different coaches from the Texas staff, he’s also been able to meet fellow recruits and players throughout the recruiting process.
“I had a chance to meet all guys during my official [visit], and it was cool to kind of be in the same situation. We’re coming in with a new coaching staff, so its like we’re all in the same boat,” Doyle said. “I got to meet some of the offensive line guys like Josh Cochran and Garrett Greenlea, and they’re all really good guys. I think Texas did a great job with recruiting because all these guys I meet have a lot in common with me. It’s easy to build relationships with them. I can’t think of one guy who I didn’t like.”
