Billy Taylor (Canadian football running back)
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Taylor playing for Michigan in 1970
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| No. 20, 42 | |
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| Position: | Running Back |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | January 7, 1949 |
| Place of birth: | Hoxie, Arkansas |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight: | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Michigan |
| NFL Draft: | 1972 / Round: 5 / Pick: 109 |
| Career history | |
William "Billy" Taylor (born January 7, 1949) is a former professional American and Canadian football running back who played for Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League after starring for the University of Michigan Wolverines. At Michigan, he became an All-American and broke the school record for career rushing yardage and finished second to Tom Harmon in scoring.
Born in Hoxie, Arkansas, Taylor spent his early years in Memphis, Tennessee until his father's death in 1954 when Taylor was five years old. His mother moved the family to Barberton, Ohio. After graduating from high school, Taylor attended the University of Michigan where he became one of the most accomplished football players in school history. He was an All-Big Ten selection three times and a first team All-Big Ten selection two times (1969 and 1970).
Taylor broke the Michigan career rushing record with 3,072 yards in three seasons. His record was broken six years later by Rob Lytle.
His 587 carries was also a school record at the time he graduated. He finished his U-M career second to Tom Harmon with 32 career touchdowns and 194 points. He also set the school record in average rushing yards per game at 102 yards per game. He rushed for 1,297 yards in his senior season (1971) and was selected as the team MVP. In the last two minutes of the 1971 Michigan-Ohio State game, Michigan was trailing, 7-3, when Bo Schembechler called Taylor’s number. Taylor ran around the end and into the end zone, and Michigan won to cap an undefeated regular season. “It was every kid’s dream,” says Taylor, remembering what it was like to score the winning touchdown. During Taylor's years they had excellent offensive linemen such as Dan Dierdorf, Reggie McKenzie, and Jim Mandich. Taylor was also named the Most Valuable Player of the 1971 Michigan football team that went undefeated in the regular season (but lost 13-12 to Stanford in the 1972 Rose Bowl game). The team was ranked in the top 5 all season and had four All-Americans.
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