Talon and Talan: An Electric Backfield Tandem for Philo
DUNCAN FALLS, OH
With a strong regular season gone by, the Philo Electrics find themselves in the 2024 playoffs, and the team is led by an electric backfield duo who have powered the team all season long. It’s one thing to find them, it’s another to bring them down. As we take a closer look at Talon and Talan.
Talon Preston and Talan Bailey, an electric running back tandem to say the least, leading Philo into the 2024 playoffs. And while there’s much more to know about the senior duo than the logos on their jerseys, the numbers on their backs, and their names on the roster, it all started at a young age when the “Talon/Talans” finally met.
“When I heard there’s another kid named Talan, I was like ‘I got to meet him’ said Preston. “So I think I met him on a playground when we were real young, and we were trying to figure out how our names are spelled.”
Well they managed to sort that out in quick fashion, with a one-letter difference separating two friends both on and off the field. But we still haven’t answered the question…how do we identify Talon and Talan? Maybe nicknames will help?
“’TB’ and ‘TP’, or ‘TJ’. Yeah, I was called ‘TP’ for the longest time, until Coach L decided to call me ‘TJ’” continued Preston.
Philo head coach Dirk Lincicome added, “We had a meeting this summer amongst the coaches to decide how we were going to decipher sending the messages on and off the field with them, with both of them being named ‘Talon/Talan’. They both play safety for us and they both play running back for us, so we started calling Talon Preston, ‘TJ’, and sometimes we called Talan Bailey, ‘TB’, or ‘Teddy Bear’.”
Which of you is stronger?
“Him. I (Bailey) guess I’ll take that one.”
Who’s faster?
“Him. Me (Preston).”
Who is more likely to be late to practice, or should I say, late to practice or late to school?
“I’d say both, probably both of us, yeah.”
But they also learn from one another and admire each other’s game.
Preston said, “I would like to add his physicality, he’s very strong on the field and it shows. He dominates whoever he’s playing against, and it’s nice to watch.” Bailey added, ““Definitely eyes and speed, because, he was a quarterback once, not very good…but yeah, definitely eyes and speed, he can see his holes and hit them hard.”
“They both approach the game with tenacity. They both play extraordinarily hard” said Lincicome. “Their effort level is second to none. I mean, as far as our team goes, they really set the tone for how physical they play on defense and when they run the football.”
Talon and Talan. Two players, same name, and a dominant backfield for Philo.
