#9 Tavarius Bender
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Position: Quarterback Previous College: None Projection: Redshirt Status: On Scholarship |
Tavarius Bender (b. April 1, 1994) graduated from Southwest High School early and currently is enrolled at K-State.
He participated in spring practice and exited the spring session as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart, ahead of redshirt freshman Daniel Sams and walk-on Sam Johnson, despite being only a true freshman.
However, something happened recently, and although Bender remains on the roster, he was not in uniform at Fan Appreciation Day and it now appears a near-certainty that he will redshirt this season.
Bender was rated the No. 20 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 1 overall player in Nebraska. He threw for 1,025 yards, rushed for 699 yards and accounted for 20 total touchdowns as a senior.
Bender was a 2011 Super State first-team pick and first-team All-City selection.
He ran for 793 yards and five scores in 2010 while throwing for 970 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. Bender accumulated a 3.5 GPA in high school.
He also was selected to the All-City Class A team and all-state team as a sophomore.
Bender was the No. 55-ranked QB in the class of 2012 as rated by ESPNU, and a 2010 Class A honorable mention All-State selection by The Lincoln Journal-Star and The Omaha World-Herald. Watch Bender's highlights here.