By LEE BRECHEEN, Louisiana Football Magazine
The state’s leading passer last season, Airline’s Ben Taylor, is heading into his senior season with his college choice settled.
Wednesday afternoon, Taylor announced on the social media platform “X” that he is “100 percent committed” to Northwestern State, led by first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle.
“Since they offered me, I had the idea in my head that I wanted to commit,” Taylor said Wednesday evening. “I wasn’t 100 percent sure but there were so many signs and great things about it that led me to being absolutely positive about my decision. I talked to my family and a few of my coaches and went ahead and announced it today.
“I talked to my head coach (Justin Scogin) about committing at this time and he was all for it,” said Taylor. “He thought it was a great idea and a great place for me to be. I also wanted to show the coaching staff there that I was all in. They offered me a full ride and it doesn’t get any better than that.”
The Demons were clearly at the forefront of his mind when we spoke earlier this week. He had six other college offers in hand, starting with Centenary, Louisiana Christian and Mississippi Valley, and Grambling joined the group among others. More offers should arise as the season goes forward, but Taylor sounds locked in to wear the Northwestern purple and white with orange trim.
“A big factor that helped me make my decision was the coaching staff. They stayed in contact with me for months and they always invited me to come in and be around them,” he said. “The whole staff was always welcoming and supportive, and when I left from my visit and they offered me, it just felt like home.
“After talking to coach McCorkle, I could tell he was building a winning program and a great atmosphere and that’s something I want to be a part of. My family and coaches also supported me and thought it was a great deal, so that helped a lot with my decision,” said Taylor.
What a get for McCorkle, about to start his first season in Natchitoches after doing a tremendous job turning a downtrodden Belhaven program into a Division III powerhouse.
It’s not very often you see a high school QB throw for 4,189 yards with 49 touchdowns in one season, but that’s what Taylor did last year to lead all Louisiana prep passers and rank 19th nationally. He completed an impressive 319 of 432 passes from the line of scrimmage with only 9 interceptions.
“Ben is going to end up one of the most decorated QB’s in Louisiana high school history,” Scogin posted on X, “and the Demons are keeping him down the road. What a great day #thevikingway.”
I am impressed with his leadership, quick release and ability to throw the ball downfield. I am also impressed with his high football IQ and think in college he will learn quickly how to run an even more complex offense and he’ll make a smooth transition to the speed of the game in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision and the Southland Conference.
“My coach is one of the biggest reasons I have the success that I have,” said Taylor. “He came in and gave me a chance and we started rolling as a program. He’s always been one of my biggest supporters and wants what’s best for me.
“Apart from all that, he’s a mastermind. I never knew an offensive playbook could be so good but the plays we run are right up my alley. He’s smart and he knows what he’s talking about in every aspect of football,” said Taylor. “I also think the rest of the coaching staff is great too. They’re all smart and know what they’re doing. They push us hard every single day and make sacrifices to help us get better. This team wouldn’t be who we are without them.”
Scogin, a protégé of offensive wizard David Feaster when he guided Parkway to explosive seasons, steered the Vikings to the District 1-5A title in 2022 and back into the playoffs last fall with a second-place district finish and another Top 10 state ranking. The talented Taylor has been the cornerstone.
“Ben is a great kid and a great team leader,” said Scogin earlier this week. “To see how he has grown in the last two years from a sophomore to now is phenomenal. He is a student of the game and loves to compete, especially on game night. He is the most accurate QB I have ever coached and his ability to anticipate his open throws is unmatched. He is going to make a college program a very successful QB for a long time.”
Taylor sees things from a team perspective.
“My goals for this season are always to do better than last season,” said the NSU commit. “I want to constantly improve and help my teammates improve. Obviously the biggest goal is to make it to the Dome and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
This is a very mature young man who doesn’t rattle, and makes some incredible throws. At 6-1, 185 maybe some bigger schools think he’s undersized. I say consider Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and other Super Bowl QBs, and don’t be surprised if Ben Taylor is a prime time player sooner or later in Natchitoches.
Contact Lee at lbrecheen@aol.com
Lee Brecheen has been covering high school football and recruiting in Louisiana since the early ‘90s. He is owner of Louisiana Football Magazine and can be followed on Twitter @LeeBrecheen. He hosts a YouTube show, The Sports Scouting Report with Lee Brecheen. Previews of all state high schools are available on lafootballmagazine.com.