Local linebacker to join Taylor on Panther defense

By: Jackson Wolek / Staff Writer

Defensive back Terrance Taylor will have someone quite familiar joining his defense next year.

FIU recruit from the class of 2012, linebacker Jerry Baker from Archbishop Carroll high school, is currently dating Taylor’s sister Latisha Williams. But that is not the reason Baker was chosen to be a Panther.

Aside from his unique connection to Taylor, it is his athletic ability he has shown on the field and in workouts. According to ESPN.com, Baker runs a 40-yard dash  in 4.93 seconds and 4.75 seconds for 20-yard shuttles.

“He’s a hell of a player, a guy with great size and athletic ability who’s very versatile,” said Archbishop Carroll head coach Richard Houchen. “Last year he played some defensive end and this year we’re working him at linebacker so he gets the feel of playing in space, which I think will be a great asset for him at the next level.”

Unfortunately for Baker, he sprained a knee ligament before the Oct. 24 game against Florida Christian that kept him from playing. Houchen believes that Baker will be back in a week or so when last spoken to on Oct. 24.

Houchen was once the coach of current running back Darian Mallary at Gulliver Prep and has even taken his Archbishop team to the FIU Stadium to see the Panthers face Duke earlier in the season. The biggest key that Houchen feels can make FIU successful in years to come is keeping the recruits local.

“The coaches over there have been doing a great job at recruiting. Coach Ponce, who I have a great relationship with, is doing a great job at getting guys from Dade County,” said Houchen.

“If you get these guys from Dade County, you can win a lot of football games. And if you look at FIU’s roster, it’s full of guys from here so they’re doing a great job at getting the homegrown guys.”

This season, as of Oct. 29, Baker has 13 tackles and one sack through the four games he has played. It is a dramatic drop from his junior year, when he produced 47 tackles and 11 sacks. “Right now I’ve been injured a lot, so it’s not going as planned,” said Baker. “I’m just waiting on next year.”

What led Baker to choose FIU over other bigger schools was the schools continued commitment towards him. Rather than just sending letters to Baker, FIU constantly stayed in touch with him over the phone.

“They use to always call me and check on me, big colleges send you letters and stuff, but they don’t really call you like FIU did,” said Baker, who committed on Aug. 10.

Baker says that defensive coordinator Todd Orlando in particular calls him all the time, to make sure he is doing okay and to tell him to stay healthy.

So far, Baker is the only recruit in the 2012 class listed at the linebacker position, with three others listed as defensive backs. That being said, only one linebacker will be leaving after this season, senior Chris Edwards, while 10 return to next year’s squad.

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