Taylor, Colclough confident.....

**DIESELMAN** · 04-21-2007, 07:25 AM

PITTSBURGH – The question prompted a smile from Ike Taylor. The smile said more than the answer.
Do you -- Taylor was asked -- blame last year on your performance or that you slipped into somebody’s doghouse?

That’s when Taylor smiled.

“Last year was last year,” he said. “This is 2007. The season’s approaching. I’m glad to be back.”

He’s back with a new coach and a new secondary coach. Does he view it as a breath of fresh air? A new start?

“I’m just glad to be back playing football,” he said.

His young partner in the secondary, another player coming off his worst pro season, elaborated.

“Yeah, it’s a fresh start,” said Ricardo Colclough. “Coming off of last year, a lot of people had their doubts about me, but now we have pretty much a new coaching staff and it’s a fresh start for me. It’ll probably be in my favor a little bit.”

That’s what Taylor’s smile said, but he’s in his fifth year and knows it’s better to keep quiet. Colclough is entering his fourth year. He’s already the quiet guy, the forgotten guy, and he knows he’s at rock bottom and can only go up.

“I’m still here and even though you knock me down I’m going to get back up and keep fighting,” Colclough said. “It’ll be a shock to everybody for me to just go out and show up. I feel it. I feel a great year coming.”

That’s what new Coach Mike Tomlin, a former defensive backs coach with Tampa Bay, wants to hear.

“He’s a guy that’s on the come. He has to be,” Tomlin said of Colclough. “To be quite honest, he’s a guy that’s kind of in a contract year. It’s time for him to define what kind of career he’s going to have. He’s aware of that. We’ve had that conversation and he’s intending on doing the same thing.”

And Tomlin’s evaluation of Taylor? Can he still be a good cornerback?

“Absolutely. Absolutely,” Tomlin said. “He has great physical talent. He has the desire to be great. Based on my experience with him thus far, his actions match his words in terms of being what he wants to be. All he’s got to do is cross the threshold of that door on a daily basis with that attitude and he’s got a shot.”

It sounds as if Tomlin intends to give his highly drafted young cornerbacks a full opportunity to show their wares. Along with Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden, the Pittsburgh Steelers may have enough talent and potential and won’t draft a cornerback next weekend. Is that good news for Taylor?

He smiled again.

“I’ve just got to play ball,” he said. “I’m not upstairs. I’m not here to see who we draft. I’m just here to play football.”

By Jim Wexell
SteelCityInsider.com
Posted Apr 20, 2007

Its good to hear that Tomlin has a lot of confidence in these guys. Also thinks they have the talent to be a good secondary. Between the new coaches and the attitude of a fresh start, our secondary only has one way to go.....UP!!!!!

House of Steel · 04-21-2007, 07:34 AM

Great Find, Diesel. I am excited for these guys and sure hope they live by their words and play hard this season. I won't be surprised if they dominate this season which would be a very big huge sigh of relief.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 04-21-2007, 08:10 AM

“Last year was last year,” he said. “This is 2007. The season’s approaching. I’m glad to be back.”

I love this attitude by Ike this year. I worried for him after how things went in 2006 but he's got the right frame of mind and he's working hard, good things will come for him Im sure !

**SteelersWoman** · 04-21-2007, 08:28 AM

I think it'll be easier for those two to be better this year for the simple fact that it's a new coach, clean slate as far as everyone's concerned. They haven't had a chance to get on Mike's bad side yet lol

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 04-21-2007, 08:36 AM

That's a good point SW

If BC were back this year Im not so sure Ike would be this confident and positive, atleast as much as he appears to be so far this offseason...but the fact that he gets a clean start with a new coach should really help boost his confidence even more.

**BB2W** · 04-21-2007, 09:34 AM

It's good to hear Colclough show some confidence... after watching him play I don't know how he does it.

I would love to see him turn his career around...

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 04-21-2007, 09:37 AM

We're going to be counting on our DB's so much this year to step up to the plate. We have a young group with a lot of talent. Taylor & McFadden can be bookend CB's for years to come for us if they continue to improve. Coc just needs to step up in a big way, he's got much to prove this year but he seems up for the fight !

**Black@Gold Forever32** · 04-21-2007, 12:52 PM

Well I'm just glad both Ike and Ricardo have their confidence back. If Ike can get back on track and Ricardo just turn the corner (no point attended) in his career the Steelers could have three really solid corners.

I still think Ike has the talent to be a very good corner in this league. Yes Colclough has been terrible to say the least. But the guy does have talent or he wouldn't have been drafted in the 2nd round. Hopefully a new coaching staff can bring that talent out. I think alot of Colclough's problems have been the mental part of the game. Sometimes it take players to get that part of the game down. So maybe in his fourth year Ricardo does turn the corner and becomes a player in this league.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 04-21-2007, 12:53 PM

As long as we don't try and put Coc back returning kicks I think he'll be fine

**Black@Gold Forever32** · 04-21-2007, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by TOP GUN

As long as we don't try and put Coc back returning kicks I think he'll be fine

I really don't think Mike Tomlin is that stupid. I'm still trying to figure out why Cowher still had Colclough returning punts at all last year? He never showed he could handle the ball well on returns since he has been in the NFL. But Cowher still put him back there last year. That was a bonehead move by Cowher.