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  • When did the Trained Eye see Calvin Taylor as a Real Player?

    By: LONNY DEMAREE

    When it comes to football this writer was allowed to go to summer workouts in strength - and conditioning until that string was cut by compliance when Hal Mumme arrived. My ability to spot real football prospects are keen. Having played four years of high level military football my knowledge spans across all sports however football is my passion.

    Inquiring Mind

    This is a day in 2015 and I am meandering around in Nutter Practice facility. I see this gangly looking athlete (6-foot-9 265-pounds) in the area. Like most people my first thought was basketball which wasn't uncommon because I had seen some UK basketball players used the football facilities for S/C training. So naturally I got into asking questions and was informed he was a football recruit that was potentially signing with the Wildcats.

    A Project

    Historically, it was not uncommon to see UK sign a project player. What was uncommon was the timing of the signing. This was about two-months after the second Wednesday in February signing date. Looking at his body it wasn't hard to see some distant potential in Calvin Taylor.

    May 2, 2017 at the Kentucky State Finals Track Meet

    Again as per/usual this inquiring mind goes into action. I have always maintained that if you want to know who can play football on the UK team ask present players. My sole purpose at the track meet was following Landon Young participating in the Shot Put and Javelin competition. Again, in my meandering around the various track and field events I would encounter a UK football player here and there. I ask them who showed themselves to be a sleeper in spring practice. Each one to a person conveyed to me Calvin Taylor. Their replies were all essentially the same. "Man, I was a walk on and I know what it look like," Cole Mosier said describing the play of a surging Calvin Taylor. Mosier worked himself into a viable SEC player. These tidbits of information led me to put the trained eye on Taylor and I witnessed the progression of the very intelligent young man. Now he stands to make a lot of money in the game.

    Sidebar To That Track Meet

    I had heard about Scott County High School's Dl prospect named Bryan Hudson. He to was participating in the same events as Young. I interviewed sophomore Hudson about his potential interest in wearing the Blue. You see he was a big and developed offensive lineman at that time. In the interview he confidently said - "I'm going to beat Landon (Young) in the shot." My thoughts were, this is a brash youngster. Well, he did defeat Young in the Shot Put but Young won the Javelin competition. Hudson eventually casted his lot with the Virginia Tech Hokies. Without asking, you don't have to jog Young's memory of that day. Perhaps, itching to say to Hudson 'Who's the best now.'
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