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Tom Campbell Through the first seven games, Richards was Purdue's leading tackler, on pace to break his season-high total (51) from 2012, his first season as a full-time starter. reer-high nine tackles, the pass breakup or the forced fumble Taylor Richards recorded with the literal bright lights shining. It was how he played. He was relentless, aggressively storming the line from his safety spot. He was decisive, reading plays quickly and triggering downhill without hesitation. He was effective, not only getting to the hole but wrapping up and making the tackles. He was exactly what Dad knew his son could be. "The Notre Dame game proved to me that he's caught up to the game. That particular game is the way Taylor has played all his life, Pop Warner to high school," Zachary Richards said. "It was no surprise to me. "One thing I know for certain, he can change a game from his spot. He's that type of player." Taylor Richards won't quite admit that, though that's what all his work has been for, as a kid, in Pop Warner, in high school and now during every practice, weight-lifting session and film study: To be the best. He's shown marked improvement the more starts he's gotten. Following his first full season as a starter as a sophomore last season, Taylor Richards started the first seven games of this season. And he's been productive — he tied for the team lead in tackles through those first seven games — but is continuing to learn and get better. Allen has talked about Richards being a player opposing coaches need to start "starring" in their game plans 106 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 or "he's going to make big plays on you." Landon Feichter talks about how he admires Richards' ability to focus so intently on weaknesses and turn them into strengths, pointing to his emphasis on getting bigger in the offseason to be able to come downhill more comfortably to make plays. Richards said he's been able to do that because his knowledge of the game continues to grow. "It just comes with experience, the more you see and the more that happens to you, the quicker you react," Taylor Richards said. "I sniff out stuff like a hound dog. Last season, I kind of felt like the same stuff was happening over and over, and I just saw it a little bit too late. But when I did see it, I'd be there in an instant. "Coach (Greg) Hudson said he needed a more aggressive safety in this defense, and it's allowing me to play a lot faster. The play-calling we've been having, I've just been trusting it. With trust and with preparation, I'll be able to play a lot faster, and that's what has been happening this season. It's been freeing me up to be in a little bit better situations to make tackles and to be around the ball." Maybe it'll even allow him to be better than Dad, who says he made 13 interceptions in his own college career years ago. Taylor, to this point, has only one, made during his freshman season, but he's eager to reach his goals of seven interceptions and 80 tackles in a season. "I tell him you have to be patient and just keep working and all of that will come," Zachary Richards said. That'll surely be the approach, then. Taylor always listens to Dad. j f