Running back Stepfan Taylor likes to laugh and make people laugh. A glint of lightheartedness pierces even his serious musings, such as his desire to start an apparel line. Wearing a sweatshirt and basketball shorts as he explains his interest in fashion, he feels compelled to note, smiling, "Right now in my life, I feel I need to get more suits." All his anecdotes about teammates seem to involve some kind of banter, which could be rich material for the video he's considering making about the experiences of Stanford running backs.
But on at least one subject, he is the voice of grizzled wisdom and a solemn don't-you-ever-forget-this admonition. "We can't become complacent," the senior tells the younger players. "We've got to understand what got us here."
"Here" is the elite status of Cardinal football. Taylor is among the stars who revitalized a program that was on the ropes. His freshman year, 2009, was coach Jim Harbaugh's first winning season. In 2010 and 2011, with Taylor rushing for more than 1,000 yards each season, Stanford completed a journey from a one-victory, 11-loss pre-Harbaugh ordeal in 2006, to 12- and 11-win campaigns that were capped by major bowl appearances. The team now has the national credibility that Taylor and his era of recruits believed was attainable—and had the competitive hunger to relentlessly pursue—when most outsiders scoffed at any notion that such heights were conceivable.
To sustain the same level of success, Taylor knows one thing is crucial: "We don't want the mentality of being a top team. We want that underdog mentality."
Taylor represents the most conspicuous remaining gamebreaker from Stanford's past two seasons. Superstar quarterback Andrew Luck, '12, has moved on to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts along with versatile tight end Coby Fleener, '11, MA '12. Also gone to the pros: guard David DeCastro and tackle Jonathan Martin, both '12, who were dominant forces on the offensive line. The upshot for the coming season—generally forecast to produce a top-25 result—ultimately focuses on uncertainties, including Luck's replacement (Brett Nottingham, '14, vs. Josh Nunes, '13, at training camp's start) and shoring up that line Taylor runs behind.
Taylor, as well regarded for fundamental skills like blocking as for his ability to explode into the open field, is on the preseason candidate list for the Doak Walker Award, which goes to the nation's top running back. Exceptionally durable at 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season while racking up a total of 1,330 yards, the second highest in school history.
For this year, though, he can't even name one truly individual goal. All he keeps uttering is the word "win," plus a confidence that second-year coach David Shaw, '94, is continuing to bring in new classes of players with the right competitive mentality as well as blue-chip athleticism.
"They recruit talent," says Taylor in his most veteran earnestness, "but they also recruit character."
