Summer Q&A: Taran Tyo

How did you begin playing football?

“The way I started playing football is just with my dad around the living room, throwing a football. Him sitting in his recliner and then outside him throwing me passes. I'm running routes because I thought I was going to be a skill guy or whatever. That's really how it all started. I started playing football in seventh grade and really just took off from there. I loved it from every moment. I grew up watching and rooting for the Michigan Wolverines and Pittsburgh Steelers, that's what my dad rooted for, so that's who I had to root for. That's kind of how it works around our house. My dad got me into it, he played D3 ball at Earlham College, and I remember one of my earliest moments was Halloween of second grade dressed up as him for Halloween. He's my hero and I wouldn’t be anywhere else without him.”

Who’s is your all-time favorite football player?

“My favorite player was Taylor Lewan. Obviously I grew up as a Michigan fan, so just seeing him out there, a first-round draft pick, he wears 77. That’s the reason I wear 77 now. His style of play, he played tackle and I'm back on the interior but I think his style of play, especially in college, is really good, especially when he goes to the Titans and has a great career there. It’s kind of who I looked up to the most.”

What do the fans mean to you?

“The fans, they're rowdy. I love it. Coming in at Nippert every Saturday and it's packed full. I've never been a part of a program until I got here that really appreciates how much the city loves them and how the fans love them. I got friends from high school that go here and all they want to do is talk football. They love Bearcat football, so I'm sure every single other fan is like that as well.”

Describe a Nippert at Night game

“A Nippert at Night game is one of the craziest experiences I've ever had, especially BYU. That was my first, like real under the lights packed stadium kind of game and I loved it. It was amazing for the first night till the end. The fans were great. Having that experience under the lights, everything going on and everything moving so fast, the game kind of slows down once you realize that you're in it and then it's easy to play from there. The fans, they’re such a big part of the game, especially the momentum of the game. We have a big play there getting rowdy. It's awesome to see that, you know they're in the game as well.”

What does Nippert Stadium mean to you?

“Nippert Stadium is probably the coolest stadium I've ever played in. You know I've played at Arrowhead, I’ve played at the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. Going to all these big stadiums it gets loud, but it's a whole different feel. We pack it full, it’s a decent-sized stadium. It's not as big as a bunch of other schools, but it gets so loud down there. And then just walking out or running out on that field is a different experience. I wouldn’t trade the world for it.”

What is your favorite football memory?

“I'll probably say my favorite football memory from at least this past year is winning my first Power Five game. I've never beaten a Power fFve team until last year. When we got that win versus Kansas, especially on that game-winning drive, I came off the sideline, I was almost hyperventilating. [Offensive line coach Nic] Cardwell comes up to me, he's like, ‘We’ve won, calm down. We're good.’ And I'm just thinking back to all the work that the team put in, that I put in, and it was just an amazing experience overall.”

What do you like to do outside of football?

“I like to go home. I like to shoot guns with my dad. It's what I've done growing up and hunting, fishing, all that kind of stuff. It's really peaceful to me, even though, guns are loud and stuff, but for me, it's really cool to go home, shoot with my dad, him tell stories about hunting and different guns and stuff like that. Also fishing, I love to fish. I don't really like river fishing because there’s not a whole lot of bass, but I like pond hopping, stuff like that.”

What is your favorite movie?

“My favorite movie is Lone Survivor. It’s just a story of how it all works out. It's really well represented. I'm a big fan of military movies. I've watched almost every single one you can think of, every big one that you could think of. Zero Dark Thirty, all those movies and documentaries and all that kind of stuff.”

What do you listen to before a game?

“I'm listening to a lot of different stuff. Limp Bizkit is probably at the top of the list. I really like Limp Bizkit before Friday's squat, but I really like Limp Bizkit, it gets me hyped up. Always has, always will. Also, a little bit of rap. in the mornings I listen to some country to ease my mind.

Who is the funniest player on the team?

“Max Fletcher, I'll go with him.”

Describe your position coach

“I would describe Coach Cardwell as fiery, hardworking, smart, and I would probably have to say, to the other side of that, like another dad. Another dad to the group where everybody can rely on him.”