The coach's influence
When incoming freshman Taylor Graham suits up for his first practice as a Buckeye quarterback, he will be more prepared than most.
Graham was born in 1991 at the Ohio State Medical Center, the son of the Buckeyes' starting quarterback at the time, Kent Graham. Taylor got a taste of the spotlight when he became the starting quarterback at Wheaton, Ill., North High School, where his father had been an All-American and remains a popular figure.
Matt Foster, Taylor's coach at Wheaton North, pulled him aside and told him he must embrace his father's legacy while building his own, because the comparisons will never end.
"He took that to heart and did a good job being his own man," Kent Graham said. "I'm proud of him in terms of how he dealt with his high school experience."
It became clear Taylor was comfortable in his father's shadow when he committed to play quarterback at Ohio State. His family's history played a role in the decision, Kent Graham said. Coach Jim Tressel played a bigger role.
"He's been coaching quarterbacks for so many years. He understands the way a quarterback thinks and the pressures on a quarterback-the attention and outside pressure," Kent said. "Having a coach who understands that reality goes a long way."
