Junior Taylor, a former standout wide receiver at UCLA, who most recently served as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Mesa High School, where he was the architect of a Jackrabbits’ high-octane attack that developed into one of the most potent in the entire state of Arizona.
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During his collegiate playing career at UCLA, from 2002-06, Taylor played 45 games over five seasons, finishing his collegiate career with 1,372 receiving yards, 116 rushing yards, and 10 touchdowns.
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His talents attracted the attention of a host of NFL scouts but a series of serious knee injuries curtailed his professional playing career. After tryouts with the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills, followed by a short stint with the New York Sentinels of the United Football League, and Taylor elected to put away his cleats for good.
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He then pursued his dream of working at a sport-interest charter school, where became a district athletic director, and establishing an athletic training business, where he consistently focused on mentoring young student-athletes on academics and athletics.
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In 2010, he began a two-year stint as a part-time coach for Mesa High, spending time helping the receivers and working with the quarterbacks. After being inducted into the Mesa High Hall of Fame in 2015, Taylor returned to Mesa, this time in the role of offensive coordinator.
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At the controls of an intricate multiple formation offense, featuring a series of spread sets tailored to run-pass options, Taylor developed a host of players who became the best in the region and the state of Arizona. It culminated in a 2017 season, where the Jackrabbits produced had a 2,000-yard passer, 1,900-yard rusher and an 800-yard receiver.
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Taylor, whose full name is Clinton Marcus Taylor, earned a bachelor’s degree in arts history in 2006.
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