Gazette-Times Reporter

The Oregon State football team has been a hotbed for walk-ons to excel and earn scholarships.

See Mike Hass and Alexis Serna for examples.

Another walk-on this year receives the opportunity to blossom after being ignored in his recruiting search.

Third-year sophomore Taylor Kavanaugh will play important roles for the Beavers.

Kavanaugh is a third-string wide receiver, but will make the biggest difference returning punts, holding the ball for Serna on field goals and extra points and as a backup kickoff returner.

“As much as I can contribute to this team, and push this team in a direction toward success, if it’s a small job or a big job — whatever they want me to do, I’ll do,” Kavanaugh said. “That’s always my approach, but now it has evolved into a big thing with more potential roles on the team.”

Punt returning and holding are crucial tasks to be given to a walk-on, but the 5-foot-10, 181-pounder from Portland’s Lincoln High gained coach Mike Riley’s trust.

“He’s one of our most versatile players,” Riley said. “I really like how he finds more and more niches with our team. He’s a receiver, not a first stringer, but he’s battling for position. He is our holder. He’s our punt returner. He’s part of our kickoff return team. If there’s a job to do, Taylor volunteers for it. Pretty soon he’s doing it for our team.”

A promotion to punt returner came when All-American Sammie Stroughter took an extended break to mentally recover from loved ones who passed away.

Kavanaugh was the holder at Lincoln for two years. Riley knew that tidbit and asked him to try it during spring practice. Then last year’s holder became academically ineligible, so there was his first opportunity.

During the summer, Kavanaugh worked with Serna four days a week to get holding down. When the time came for Serna to choose someone, it was easy.

“It’s who I feel more comfortable with,” Serna said. “I chose Taylor because he worked hard this offseason. He has done a great job this camp. I feel comfortable with him to get the ball down and give me the best look I can get.”

Kavanaugh returned punts at Lincoln for three years, but wasn’t looked at in that capacity here because the Beavers had Stroughter.

He was initially used to catch punts for the coverage team in practice. Special teams coordinator Bruce Read, at the time, noticed he caught the ball with ease and made good decisions on the return.

That led to an invitation to work in behind Stroughter. He returned two punts last year to give Stroughter strategic rests.

“Punt return has always been my favorite part of playing,” Kavanaugh said. “Returning punts is a different game than anything else. There are so many variables. It’s your decision making that makes a difference. They want someone back there with good hands who can run and be quick. But decision making is that breaker between good returners and bad returners.”

Kavanaugh is still trying to become a factor as a receiver. He’s working on perfecting his routes and understanding of the system.

However, his opportunity this year has already surpassed anything he could expect.

Even though he was a high school standout, the only schools interested in him were smaller Linfield College and Willamette University.

“It’s a great feeling for anybody,” Kavanaugh said of his chance to play. “It’s good to know that if you put in a lot of time, it finally comes out on the field and you can help out. I don’t look back if I should have done anything else. I love it here so much. It makes it better I get these opportunities.”

TAYLOR KAVANAUGH

• WHO: Sophomore holder, punt returner and reserve wide receiver for the Oregon State football team

• SIZE: 5-foot-10, 181 pounds

• HOMETOWN: Portland

• EDUCATION: Graduated from Portland’s Lincoln High, majoring in construction engineering

• FAMILY: Son of Dan and Jennifer Kavanaugh, and has one brother and two sisters

• STATS: Returned two punts for 10 yards and had one catch for nine yards last season.

• ECT: The third-year walk-on was born in Alameda, Calif. ... Enjoys classic cars, motorcycles and plays the guitar. ... He was a four-sport athlete at Lincoln. ... He was a member of the Pacific-10 Conference academic team, and the co-winner of OSU coach Mike Riley’s Lunch Bucket Award last season.