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#79 Keenan Taylor |
Position: Offensive Line Previous College: None Projection: Second-String Status: On Scholarship |
Keenan Taylor (b. July 16, 1991) exited spring ball in 2011 as the projected starter at the left guard position, but was switched to right guard before the season began.
B.J. Finney moved over to left guard to replace him, but that experiment was short-lived after Shaun Simon re-aggravated a knee injury that will force him to redshirt during the 2012 season.
Also, the offensive line was straight-up dysfunctional during the Eastern Kentucky game. Things functioned infinitely smoother with Finney running things from the center, where he likely will play for the rest of his career.
Anyhow, Taylor soon found that replacing Zach Kendall was no easy task, despite working between the immensely talented Finney and steady veteran Clyde Aufner. Taylor was demoted after two games in favor of Colten Freeze.
While Freeze was a fifth-year senior, I've never been particularly enamored of his talent level. He had some major limitations, but Taylor still couldn't beat him out. That doesn't bode well for Taylor's chances of starting this year.
Neither does the fact that a redshirt freshman, Boston Stiverson, beat him out for the right guard role in the 2012 spring game. If Stiverson stays there this fall, Taylor would appear to be finished as a starter for his K-State career.
Even more likely is that yet another promising redshirt freshman — Cody Whitehair, who's even more athletic than Stiverson — will move over to right guard and clear the way for either Manase Foketi or Tavon Rooks at right tackle.