Russell Christian Academy’s Caleb Taylor celebrates after scoring the first touchdown of the season on opening night against Tuscaloosa Christian in August.

When Micah Taylor drops back to pass and peers downfield for a potential target, a familiar face is almost always looking back, usually open, with hands at the ready.

What makes this receiver so recognizable isn’t just from the past three months they’ve had to form this connection on the Russell Christian Academy football team, or the 15 touchdown passes the sophomore quarterback has thrown to him this season, but from living under the same roof for more than a decade and a half and learning the game together.

Caleb Taylor, Micah Taylor’s older brother and No. 1 option, hasn’t made a habit of dropping balls thrown his way. 

“All I do is throw the ball to him, and he’s going to come down with it,” Micah Taylor said.

Caleb Taylor, a senior who has 33 receptions for 855 yards in the Warriors’ 10 regular season games, is no stranger to catching passes from other members of his family. While this is the first year of his partnership with Micah, he served as a wideout in his first two seasons on the varsity squad while Drew Taylor, the oldest of the three, was under center. 

He hauled in 26 passes from Drew Taylor for 816 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore before taking his place at quarterback the following year when his older brother graduated. After Drew Taylor led RCA to the Alabama Christian Education Association eight-man championship, Caleb Taylor stepped in and threw 20 touchdowns to guide the Warriors to a repeat title. He also extended his brother’s ACEA win streak of 13 games to 23 with an undefeated record. 

Heading into the 2019 campaign, second-year head coach Andy Braddock was tasked with replacing seven starters, most of whom played both sides of the ball. Among the promotions from junior varsity was Micah Taylor, whom Braddock said he was preparing for.

“Two years ago, when he was just an eighth grader playing JV, I knew he was going to be special,” Braddock said. “Him leading with Caleb, them being on the same page, he just knows where Caleb’s going to be, and Caleb knows where he has to be.” 

Braddock slid the older Taylor back over to receiver and put the younger Taylor under center. In his debut on Aug. 16, he threw four touchdown passes, two to his brother, in a 60-19 win over Tuscaloosa Christian. 

Braddock knew he had Micah Taylor in the right role, and Caleb Taylor has relished in his.

“I like it more like this,” Caleb Taylor said. “It’s kind of fun catching passes from my little brother. It’s been really cool seeing him step up and lead us with his throwing.”

In his first season on varsity and as a starter, Micah Taylor has completed 77 of 122 passes for 1,688 yards, 24 touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Caleb Taylor said he does share some insight on the quarterback position with his sibling, given his successful yet brief tenure as the Warriors’ signal-caller, but Micah Taylor handles most of its responsibilities. 

“When plays are coming, I’ll tell him the read or I’ll give him hints on who’s covering us, but that’s basically it,” Caleb Taylor said. “He does the rest.”

Micah Taylor has also taken advice from Drew Taylor, a linebacker and redshirt freshman at Mississippi College, on making good reads and keeping his head up. When Micah Taylor was named the starting QB, he said he was ready.  

“I was excited,” he said. “I got to prove myself and prove that I worked for it, and I’m glad I’ve got good receivers I can rely on.”

RCA’s record of consecutive games won in the ACEA ended at 31 with a 35-13 loss at Ezekiel Academy Oct. 11. After closing out a 9-1 regular season with a win last week, the Warriors will host Tuscaloosa Christian again in the league semifinals Friday in what will be either Caleb’s second-to-last contest, or his final game. After his high school career does finally come to a close, Braddock said his star receiver turned quarterback turned receiver again will leave a sizeable hole.  

“We’re going to miss Caleb, not just for what he does on the field and plays he makes on offense and defense, we’re going to miss him for his leadership,” he said. “But we’ve still got another one for two years, and he’ll step up and take his brother’s place.”  

For the time being, Braddock said, he always has a reason to be optimistic about his team’s future.

“When have a family of Taylors, you sleep better at night as a coach,” he said.