Jackson Taylor was one of six quarterbacks on Oaks Christian’s football roster in 2022. He played sparingly that fall, completing two of five passes for 13 yards.
When he graduates high school in December with a Division I scholarship to Boise State, Taylor will be hailed as one of the best quarterbacks … in Thousand Oaks history.
“He could go down as one of the best, for sure,” said Branden Anderson, the Lancers’ first-year head coach and a 2015 graduate of the school. “He’s a really good kid, and he does work hard. He’s getting better every day.”
Taylor, who transferred to Thousand Oaks after his freshman year, has 67 career touchdown throws. He needs two scoring strikes to tie Max Gilliam’s school record of 69 touchdowns. Gilliam, who went on to start under center at UNLV, guided Thousand Oaks to a CIF championship game a decade ago.
Taylor will try to break Gilliam’s school record when 4-0 Thousand Oaks visits 1-3 Simi Valley on Friday night.
“A lot of dots are starting to connect,” the 18-year-old Taylor said. “I feel like I’m playing my best football.”
Thousand Oaks senior quarterback Jackson Taylor threw five first half touchdowns in the Lancers’ 49-15 win over West Ranch on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (Photo by Matthew Wagner)Taylor, who checks in at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, has completed 70% of his passes for 831 yards, 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions through four games. He led the Lancers to back-to-back CIF playoff semifinal appearances in 2023 and 2024 under former head coach Ben McEnroe, who is now the coach at Heritage Christian.
Settling for the semifinals is not satisfactory for Taylor.
“We want to win a CIF title. We have come close, which is good in its own way, but we have to finish,” the quarterback said. “We have to go out and finish the job. I believe we will.”
Technically, Taylor is already a CIF champion.
He earned a CIF Champions for Character Commissioner’s Award-California Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship last fall.
The quarterback, who had nine Division I football offers, including bids from Oregon and Texas A&M, before throwing a single pass in high school, spent this offseason improving his timing, footwork, progressions and pocket awareness.
He’s also mentally and physically tougher. He takes hits and stands up again.
Ben McClain, a second-year starting center who earned all-league honors in 2024, spoke highly of the quarterback.
“He’s an all-around great person,” the co-captain said of Taylor. “He brings an element of maturity to our team, which I think is very important. He leads in a very mature way. He lifts everyone up. He doesn’t curse, which sounds like a small thing, but it’s a rare thing in a high school locker room.
“He’s obviously an amazing football player. He makes our team tremendously better. He’s a great teammate. I really like working with him. He’s very respectful, and he’s going to do great things in college.”
Thousand Oaks quarterback Jackson Taylor throws a pass against Newbury Park Oct. 25, 2024.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)Taylor praised many teammates, including receiver/tight ends Hayden Vercher and Kaden Glover; receiver/defensive back Luke Sullivan; slot receiver Brady Beck; and running backs Jordan Johnson and Adam Soto.
Taylor is a well-rounded individual.
The scholar-athlete notched a 4.16 GPA last year. He plays the violin in the school chamber orchestra; he will minor in music at Boise State.
He grew up playing basketball, and he competed in 100-meter sprints and long jump in track and field as a sophomore and junior.
The son of Troy and Beth, Taylor attends Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village with his family.
Football and faith go together for Taylor.
“Football is more than just fun, because a lot of sports are fun. I have a deep love for this sport,” the quarterback said. “Football pays money. I want to support a family with it and use it as a platform that I can tell people what I believe about the Bible and spread the Gospel.”
The quarterback has already etched his name in the pantheon of great Thousand Oaks quarterbacks alongside Gilliam, Case Cookus (current USFL star, formerly on Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad) and Ben Olson (former UCLA starter).
Taylor can always call Thousand Oaks home. Transferring was the right decision for him.
“Everything has been such a blessing,” Taylor said. “I’m grateful that God brought me here. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. … This team is old school Thousand Oaks football. It’s T.O. toughness. We don’t have fancy equipment.
“We’re one of the older schools around here. We just play football, we play for each other, and we care for each other.”
Find writer Eliav Appelbaum on X @EliavAppelbaum.
Related Articles
LA Daily News football Top 10 rankings for Week 4 LA Daily News football wrap-up: All the stories, photos and scores from Week 3 games Hart football beats Heritage Christian in last-minute matchup Santa Margarita football hands Oaks Christian its third early season loss Gavin Gray leads Agoura football past Calabasas in Las Virgenes Cup
Hence then, the article about thousand oaks qb jackson taylor comfortable but not satisfied was published today ( ) and is available on Los Angeles Daily News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Thousand Oaks QB Jackson Taylor comfortable but not satisfied )
Also on site :
- Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says ‘Putin is afraid of the US but not Europe’ in latest attack on allies
- Pony.ai and BAIC BJEV Deepen Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Robotaxi Development and Commercialization
- ‘Something you would dream of’: Livermore snaps 121-game EBAL losing streak with win over Amador Valley