Tulsa World: Defender is 'blessed' to be at OU

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Defender is 'blessed' to be at OU

OU's Adrian Taylor (right) tries to get to West Virginia quarterback Pat White during the Fiesta Bowl last season. Taylor, who suffered from stressed discs in his back as a freshman, has become a key cog in the Sooners' defensive line. Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World file

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 8/26/2008 2:06 AM
Last Modified: 8/26/2008 3:32 AM

NORMAN — The pain came fast and furious, a post-practice leg cramp that shot Adrian Taylor out of his chair. And then, in a blink, Oklahoma's 295-pounder started giggling.

"He's a character," said Gerald McCoy, Taylor's roommate and fellow starter at defensive tackle. "He's a fun guy, always joking."

To laugh about a hamstring that has gone into spasm? After a grueling August practice that left players drenching the seats of their chairs? Must be more to it than Taylor's happy-go-luckiness.

"I'm blessed to be back in this situation, to have a chance to compete for this," Taylor said. "Thank God for that."

Never mind the cramp. Just two years ago Taylor could barely walk.

"It happened my freshman year lifting weights," he said. "Something didn't feel right back there."

In his lower back, Taylor had stressed his discs to the point that football was out, at least that year. So was basketball, which he loved about as much as football. It was work just climbing out of bed.

"I'd have to explain to my teachers why I would get up, stand up in class," Taylor said. "And then I'd go from standing up to sitting down. Or bring a pillow to class to sit on. It would hurt just to sit on something hard. I had a lot of adjustments. I felt handicapped."

Taylor considered giving up football "a couple times," before realizing he could heal as gradually as he got hurt. All it was going to take was commitment.

"I was with Scott (Anderson, the team's head athletics trainer) and Jim (Hillis, OU's rehab director) every day, working to get better," said Taylor, who logs rehab hours with DeMarcus Granger, another defensive tackle with lower back issues, to keep his core as strong as possible.

By the 2007 season, Taylor had joined the Sooners' rotation at tackle.

He even started the Fiesta Bowl after Granger was sent home for attempted shoplifting.

Now, thanks to a resolute preseason camp, he's starting the '08 opener against Chattanooga Saturday.

"I haven't missed any practices. That's the best thing about it," Taylor said. "I've been able to go out and show what I can do."

"We all did verticals (jumps). Me and Cory Bennett were 30 or 31 (inches)," McCoy said of OU's fitness sessions early in camp. "Adrian gets up there and it's 34 or 35. It's like, 'Dang!' Adrian's real athletic.

"I like to fire out quickly and jump the ball. Adrian jumps the ball, too, but he's also a power guy. He's really strong, and he can really get off the blocks."

As for Taylor, he's just glad to be on the field again.

"It was a real sad situation," he said. "The Lord blessed me to get back."

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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THE REF, Broken Arrow (8/26/2008 5:12:52 PM)

We are blessed to have him

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