He’s a producer, a recording artist, a videographer, and the starting strong safety for Washington State University. Let Taylor Taliulu tell it though, and he’s a standing representation of his family; both Cougar and blood alike.

“You ask him about pretty much anything and he’ll talk for hours,” said his father Tausili Taliulu. “But, you ask him about himself and he’ll give you a hard time.”

Taliulu earned all-state honors and was a top-ten Hawaii prospect leaving high school. Still, he’ll tell you his greatest accomplishment is neither honor nor accolade.

“I could have buckled a long time ago and said this is too hard,” Taliulu said. “So every day when I wake up and lift, then go to class, then go to meetings, and then finish my homework, I feel blessed. It’s an accomplishment that I’m proud of on a daily basis.”

Taliulu is humble, cordial, and sincerely spoken. His relaxed vibe and dispositional smile allow very little evidence of the beast that lies within.

Standing at six feet and 205 pounds, he employs the role of the last line of defense against approaching offenses. He knows his team depends on him in a big way, but he’s no stranger to high expectations.

“So many people have invested time into me,” Taliulu said. “I went back home and those last couple trips back I’ve seen how little kids look up to me. When I step on that field now, I do it for the Cougar fans, my family, and everyone who looks up me to back home.”

He’s driven by the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of others. Be it through entertainment on multiple platforms, or simply a warm greeting, his aim is at all times to please.

“I just want to make people proud,” he said. “I just go out there and ball and have a good time… and make sure the fans have a good time.”

WSU’s coaches impress upon players a “know your why” philosophy.

It’s only in understanding Taliulu’s ‘why’ that one could make sense of his effortless transformation from warm, welcoming Taylor to imposing, intimidating Taliulu every Saturday.

If he does ever acknowledge any motivation fueled by self-interest, it’s his commitment to being successful in a career outside of college.

Uniquely, Taliulu could take a variety of career paths, all of which he’s explored and curated while playing football successfully and at a high level.

He purchased a camera and produced a highly-regarded four-part series of behind-the-scenes looks at training camp with the Cougar football team while actively participating in camp workouts this summer.

The series, aptly titled The Grind, chronicles last year’s season highlights in episode one, followed by episodes spotlighting gym workouts, the infamous “Leach Beach” sand pits, and finally a refreshing look at some team brotherhood at Snake River.

Taliulu said although he possesses talents in film making, he is especially passionate about music. With a mixtape dropping later this month titled East Side Story themed around life and experiences at WSU. The EP is written and produced mostly by him, save three or four songs with special coproduction.

Taliulu said he seeks to pursue music more aggressively following the football season. That, along with his clothing line currently in development, are projects he hopes to monetize soon.

But, even then, that motivation boils down to a commitment to his loved ones.

Taliulu said he wants to be financially sound to eventually provide for his family back home. His father acknowledged the caveat to growing up in paradise.

“Everything is so expensive here,” Tausili said. “Everyone has to work two or three jobs to get by, so you have to rely on your family a lot.”

It’s visible on Taliulu’s face when he speaks about his will to help support the people he loves so dearly. A nod of the head and sudden sternness dispel smiles and inquisitiveness when the conversation arises.

Taylor Taliulu wears his heart on his sleeve. Family and friends know he inherently harbors a deep regard for them. As such, his opponents know that he harbors a similar level of disdain for them.

“Family is everything. You do whatever it takes to take care of your family,” he said. “Anyone that’s coming in from the outside to mess with that, it’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Ohana means family, and Taliulu’s ohana away from home are his Cougar football teammates. Herein, the beauty of his game is the passion with which he plays it. No one messes with Taliulu’s ohana, and he enforces that law with a heart and ferocity that is solely his own.

He’s a self-proclaimed ‘chill and easy-going guy.” And, in a perfect world, he’d embrace the competitive nature of the game while simultaneously boosting the morale of everyone around him. He’d take on an Andrew Luck-esque congratulatory rapport with the defense, acknowledging sound mechanics and applauding impressive plays by the opposition.

Except, this isn’t a perfect world, and Taliulu doesn’t take kindly to folks who threaten his family. The Cougar end zone is the house of his ohana and he dares opposing ball-carriers to try to break that plane.

“He’s a different person when he enters the game,” said Matt Tsukazaki, Taliulu’s AAU Basketball Coach. “It’s a switch. You see him out there on the field and he’s just so focused.”

The strong safety’s road from AAU basketball to Division-1 college football wasn’t the smoothest of journeys, though.

“It’s been a rocky road and there have been some bumps along the way, but he’s a fighter,” Tausili said. “He’s a fighter. He’s gonna fight for Cougar fans, for his teammates, and for his family.”

Taliulu started at safety in the first two games of his freshman season, only to find himself playing on special teams through the remainder of the schedule finishing with 22 tackles total.

Still, he was not discouraged. He competed and earned ten starts during both his sophomore and junior campaigns, tallying 54 and 66 tackles respectively, including a career-gem 12 tackle game against California last season.

This time around, he hopes to capitalize on three varsity-letter seasons. Taliulu seeks to improve his play and use his influence as a veteran to elevate the play of the entire defensive unit.

Tsukazaki said he remembers how Taliulu’s influence affected his AAU team growing up. He said Taliulu exhibited a very lax and playful nature with his friends and team mates outside of games and practices.

Taliulu said he still possesses that fun-loving, optimistic outlook on life and accredits it to his hometown.

“It’s just a mindset. Aloha spirit,” he said. “Yeah, that’s what they call it in Hawaii, you just have love for everyone.”

Tsukazaki said Taliulu’s easy spirit had been a blessing many times during his tenure coaching the young athlete.

“No matter how long it’s been since I’ve seen him, I can always recall his smile,” Tsukazaki said. “That smile made a lot of heavy situations lighter. Really, it kept a few situations from turning for the worst.”

Here, Taliulu presents an interesting conundrum for fans to ponder: He’s found a way to play a violent, aggressive position at a high level, but utterly out of a place of love; a love for his teammates, and for the game, and for everyone who’s ever had an impact on his life.

In a sense, every time he leaps into the air for a pass deflection or squares his shoulders for a stadium-rocking hit, it’s never without a purpose broader than that of simply stopping the opposing offense.

Tsukazaki said Taliulu may be easier to sum up than he seems.

“A majority of what makes Taylor who he is – and I’m going to get emotional here – is his love for his family and his desire to represent them well,” he said. “That drive has made him the man he is today, and the man *sniff* who’s life I’m extremely proud to have been a part of.”

Taliulu mentioned his address to teammates entering this first game week of the season.

“Like I said in our last team meeting,” he said. “No matter on or off the field, make an impact on people.”

Taliulu looks to improve on last year’s successes. And, if we’ve learned anything about him, he’s certain to make a crushing impact on anyone who steps between him and the house of his ohana.