The next step in former Palm Beach County (Fla.) star quarterback Tre’Von Taylor’s long and winding football road has taken him to Virginia.
Taylor, who played at Palm Beach Lakes and Dwyer, transferred to Hampton this past January. He is immediately eligible to play and is competing for the starting job.
“I’ve been through a lot of things, but my family’s been behind my back and able to help me out through that journey,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t easy, for sure, but I just stayed the course.”
Taylor began his college career at Bryant, signing with the Bulldogs in 2022. He spent the past three years at Iowa Central Community College, completing 61.3% of his passes for 1,110 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions over 23 games.
“Everything’s about patience,” Taylor said.
“When I was at Iowa Central, we would rotate three or four quarterbacks, so you just had to stay the course and do what you gotta do,” Taylor said. “Just stay patient, trust the grind, and trust God.”
Winning follows Tre’Von Taylor wherever he goes
While at Palm Beach Lakes, Taylor led the Rams to an undefeated 9-0 season in 2019. Lakes also captured Lou Groza Team of the Year honors.
Taylor played for another Lou Groza Team of the Year winner, this time at Dwyer, during the 2020 COVID season.
Taylor and the Pirates seek their first winning season since 2018. Hampton hired former Kansas State assistant coach Van Malone this past offseason.
Former Pahokee receiver and head coach DJ Boldin is Hampton’s offensive coordinator. Although Taylor never previously played for Boldin, he made it clear that they’ve already forged a strong bond.
“The coaching here, they just want to be great and change Hampton’s football culture,” Taylor said. “That’s what I’m all about. That’s what I did at Lakes, and hopefully, I can do it here, too.
Malone, a former Texas Longhorns standout defensive back, spent the past seven years at Kansas State. Taylor said that Malone’s defensive background, both as a player and coach, works to the quarterback’s advantage
“During practice, he’s always giving me coaching points and things that he’d like for me to see,” Taylor said. “He’ll teach me certain things as a defensive coach, and there’s always stuff to keep in mind as a quarterback.”
Hampton begins its season against Virginia Lynchburg on Saturday, Aug. 29. The Pirates then travel to Maryland for a nationally-televised game against the Terrapins on Sept. 5.
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