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ENLARGE
During his college football career, Taylor Dever has had two head coaches, three offensive line coaches and a knee injury.
He has earned a degree in marketing and gained a lifetime of incredible memories while living out a childhood dream of playing football at Notre Dame.
Now, that career is nearing its end.
The 2007 Nevada Union graduate ends his collegiate career after five years, after redshirting as a freshman and spending the past two as starting right tackle for the Fighting Irish.
“It's definitely been a ride” said Dever, an understatement by any standard of the well spoken, humble lineman.
The friendly voice and accommodating nature are a harsh contrast to the 6-foot-5-inch, 301-pound physique he takes to the field, as any defensive lineman he has faced might attest.
Taylor credited his family, parents Tom and Lori and sister Megan, and Nevada Union football coach Dave Humphers with giving him the tools necessary for his success.
His parents, sister and a host of other friends and supporters were all on hand for his final regular season game Saturday night at Stanford.
Dever was honored further as the Irish coaching staff, which designates one player as the second captain each game, flagged Dever in his final regular season game — an honor he has now enjoyed twice.
“Bittersweet” was the word used by both parents to describe their son's college playing career winding down.
“I'm not just proud. I'm impressed with what he has accomplished,” his father said.
Lori Dever, proudly donning her son's jersey from last year's Sun Bowl, added, “He's a very humble kid who made a small town proud.”
However, it didn't just happen for Dever. He arrived in South Bend with a lot of dreams and a huge learning curve waiting for him.
“Obviously, I had no idea what to expect, moving across the country to a private school I have loved my whole life but never been to and didn't know how everything works,” he said of his arrival at Notre Dame.
The recruiting process was an exciting time for Dever as well. He was recruited first by small, West Coast schools, and eventually all of the Pac-12 schools with the exception of USC jumped on board.
A ranking as a top-30 offensive tackle in the nation as rated by www.scout.com led to offers by such national powerhouses as Nebraska and the University of Miami.
As anyone familiar with Notre Dame and USC football knows, it seems very fitting that USC wasn't one of the schools Dever had to consider. It probably would have faced an uphill battle for the heart of a true lifelong Irish fan, which may come with a gene rendering him incapable of rooting for the Trojans of USC.
In fact, even with national and West Coast powerhouses lined up at his door, it was Dever who sent film to West Coast Notre Dame scouts just in case they might be interested.
They obviously liked what they saw, and after several correspondences, head coach Charlie Weis came to Grass Valley to seal the deal himself, inking Dever to a scholarship and putting a lifelong dream within the grasp of an 18-year-old man from Nevada City.
As a freshman, Dever was redshirted, forcing him to adjust and prepare even more for his eventual opportunity.
“The first time I ran out of the tunnel, I felt more like I was along for the ride, just enjoying it and trying to make the best of it,” he said.
Opportunity would come but only as a result of a lot of hard work and focus both on the football field and in the classroom.
In his first year on the active roster in 2008, Dever appear in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He continued to work hard, patiently waiting for his shot at a spot on the Irish offensive line.
But a knee injury at the Hawaii Bowl following the 2008 season required surgery and created a new set of challenges to overcome. The following year, Taylor continued to persevere through a tough rehabilitation after his injury, serving both on special teams and as a backup to tackle Sam Young. A tough role indeed as Young was a 6-foot-8-inch, 316-pound, four-year starter who now plays for the Buffalo Bills.
In 2010, with Young moving on to the NFL, Dever was poised to assume his role as a starter, but he would have to do so under a new coach.
Brian Kelly replaced Weis as head coach, and Dever liked what he saw. The same was true for Kelly who gave Dever his first career start in the 2010 home opener against Purdue. He got 10 starts and saw action in 11 games at right tackle.
“The biggest difference I see in Brian (Kelly) is his instilling in us that you have got to do all the little things right to win,” Dever said. “We all have bought into that, and once you get so many guys on board that believe in the same thing and want to do all the little things right, you will start winning a lot of games.
“I strongly believe coach Kelly is a great fit here. I believe he can win a national championship here in the next couple years,” he added.
The 2011 season has seen continued success from Dever, beginning in the spring when he graduated with a degree in marketing. On the football field, Dever has started all 12 games this season, holding down the right tackle position for the Irish.
Notre Dame will receive a bowl game invitation with a record of 8-4, and current forecasts indicate that it may be a Dec. 29 clash with Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Dever was honored with the rest of the seniors at the final home game on Nov. 19, and he shared some of the thoughts that occupied him as he headed down the tunnel at South Bend for the final time.
“When you're in it (living the Notre Dame experience), it's slow. It's tough. You're always looking for that light at the end of the tunnel. When that senior day passes and you don't get to do it anymore, it is a different feeling.
“As time passes, you learn to respect and appreciate everything that goes into what you've done and all the hard work you've put in with your teammates.”
Asked what his biggest high was over his career, Dever had to qualify his answer, saying, “Everything about Notre Dame has been such a good experience — to come out here on game weekend with 200-plus consecutive sellouts.”
Pressed to pick a highlight, the 2010 victory over USC comes to mind.
“Being a California kid that's not the biggest USC fan, that was pretty big for me.”
The 33-17 victory over Miami in last years Sun Bowl was a close second.
The low point?
“It has to be the knee injury in the Hawaii Bowl,” which led to a surgery and lengthy recovery process. But the ever-insightful Dever also acknowledged the value of such an experience adding, “It definitely taught me a lot and afterwards was good experience for me and part of football.”
A tribute to his character, Dever remains willing to share his experiences and offer advice to the kids looking to follow in his footsteps.
“Well in my case, I always dreamed of playing college football but wasn't really recruited until my senior year, but one thing I kept with me was my work ethic.
“I just kept working hard all through high school and improved a lot between my junior and senior years. I think if there is something you really want in life, then there is no one stopping you but yourself. You're able to achieve anything when you put your mind to it.”
As far as advice for a young athlete arriving at college, he added, “First and foremost, you need to keep things in perspective. The whole time management thing is talked about as something that is pretty easy to do, but when you are taking five classes and going to football practice all afternoon, it gets stressful at times, but it's something you have to learn.”
What does the future hold for Taylor Dever?
He has been prepared to look for the agent talks to heat up as the season comes to a close, and he has a shot with the NFL.
“That's definitely something. I am going to try and just look for that one opportunity, that one shot, and make the best of it and go from there.”
Given Dever's track record of hitting challenges head on, there is a good chance folks could one day end up seeing Taylor Dever suit up on Sundays.
He has earned a degree in marketing and gained a lifetime of incredible memories while living out a childhood dream of playing football at Notre Dame.
Now, that career is nearing its end.
The 2007 Nevada Union graduate ends his collegiate career after five years, after redshirting as a freshman and spending the past two as starting right tackle for the Fighting Irish.
“It's definitely been a ride” said Dever, an understatement by any standard of the well spoken, humble lineman.
The friendly voice and accommodating nature are a harsh contrast to the 6-foot-5-inch, 301-pound physique he takes to the field, as any defensive lineman he has faced might attest.
Taylor credited his family, parents Tom and Lori and sister Megan, and Nevada Union football coach Dave Humphers with giving him the tools necessary for his success.
His parents, sister and a host of other friends and supporters were all on hand for his final regular season game Saturday night at Stanford.
Dever was honored further as the Irish coaching staff, which designates one player as the second captain each game, flagged Dever in his final regular season game — an honor he has now enjoyed twice.
“Bittersweet” was the word used by both parents to describe their son's college playing career winding down.
“I'm not just proud. I'm impressed with what he has accomplished,” his father said.
Lori Dever, proudly donning her son's jersey from last year's Sun Bowl, added, “He's a very humble kid who made a small town proud.”
However, it didn't just happen for Dever. He arrived in South Bend with a lot of dreams and a huge learning curve waiting for him.
“Obviously, I had no idea what to expect, moving across the country to a private school I have loved my whole life but never been to and didn't know how everything works,” he said of his arrival at Notre Dame.
The recruiting process was an exciting time for Dever as well. He was recruited first by small, West Coast schools, and eventually all of the Pac-12 schools with the exception of USC jumped on board.
A ranking as a top-30 offensive tackle in the nation as rated by www.scout.com led to offers by such national powerhouses as Nebraska and the University of Miami.
As anyone familiar with Notre Dame and USC football knows, it seems very fitting that USC wasn't one of the schools Dever had to consider. It probably would have faced an uphill battle for the heart of a true lifelong Irish fan, which may come with a gene rendering him incapable of rooting for the Trojans of USC.
In fact, even with national and West Coast powerhouses lined up at his door, it was Dever who sent film to West Coast Notre Dame scouts just in case they might be interested.
They obviously liked what they saw, and after several correspondences, head coach Charlie Weis came to Grass Valley to seal the deal himself, inking Dever to a scholarship and putting a lifelong dream within the grasp of an 18-year-old man from Nevada City.
As a freshman, Dever was redshirted, forcing him to adjust and prepare even more for his eventual opportunity.
“The first time I ran out of the tunnel, I felt more like I was along for the ride, just enjoying it and trying to make the best of it,” he said.
Opportunity would come but only as a result of a lot of hard work and focus both on the football field and in the classroom.
In his first year on the active roster in 2008, Dever appear in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He continued to work hard, patiently waiting for his shot at a spot on the Irish offensive line.
But a knee injury at the Hawaii Bowl following the 2008 season required surgery and created a new set of challenges to overcome. The following year, Taylor continued to persevere through a tough rehabilitation after his injury, serving both on special teams and as a backup to tackle Sam Young. A tough role indeed as Young was a 6-foot-8-inch, 316-pound, four-year starter who now plays for the Buffalo Bills.
In 2010, with Young moving on to the NFL, Dever was poised to assume his role as a starter, but he would have to do so under a new coach.
Brian Kelly replaced Weis as head coach, and Dever liked what he saw. The same was true for Kelly who gave Dever his first career start in the 2010 home opener against Purdue. He got 10 starts and saw action in 11 games at right tackle.
“The biggest difference I see in Brian (Kelly) is his instilling in us that you have got to do all the little things right to win,” Dever said. “We all have bought into that, and once you get so many guys on board that believe in the same thing and want to do all the little things right, you will start winning a lot of games.
“I strongly believe coach Kelly is a great fit here. I believe he can win a national championship here in the next couple years,” he added.
The 2011 season has seen continued success from Dever, beginning in the spring when he graduated with a degree in marketing. On the football field, Dever has started all 12 games this season, holding down the right tackle position for the Irish.
Notre Dame will receive a bowl game invitation with a record of 8-4, and current forecasts indicate that it may be a Dec. 29 clash with Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Dever was honored with the rest of the seniors at the final home game on Nov. 19, and he shared some of the thoughts that occupied him as he headed down the tunnel at South Bend for the final time.
“When you're in it (living the Notre Dame experience), it's slow. It's tough. You're always looking for that light at the end of the tunnel. When that senior day passes and you don't get to do it anymore, it is a different feeling.
“As time passes, you learn to respect and appreciate everything that goes into what you've done and all the hard work you've put in with your teammates.”
Asked what his biggest high was over his career, Dever had to qualify his answer, saying, “Everything about Notre Dame has been such a good experience — to come out here on game weekend with 200-plus consecutive sellouts.”
Pressed to pick a highlight, the 2010 victory over USC comes to mind.
“Being a California kid that's not the biggest USC fan, that was pretty big for me.”
The 33-17 victory over Miami in last years Sun Bowl was a close second.
The low point?
“It has to be the knee injury in the Hawaii Bowl,” which led to a surgery and lengthy recovery process. But the ever-insightful Dever also acknowledged the value of such an experience adding, “It definitely taught me a lot and afterwards was good experience for me and part of football.”
A tribute to his character, Dever remains willing to share his experiences and offer advice to the kids looking to follow in his footsteps.
“Well in my case, I always dreamed of playing college football but wasn't really recruited until my senior year, but one thing I kept with me was my work ethic.
“I just kept working hard all through high school and improved a lot between my junior and senior years. I think if there is something you really want in life, then there is no one stopping you but yourself. You're able to achieve anything when you put your mind to it.”
As far as advice for a young athlete arriving at college, he added, “First and foremost, you need to keep things in perspective. The whole time management thing is talked about as something that is pretty easy to do, but when you are taking five classes and going to football practice all afternoon, it gets stressful at times, but it's something you have to learn.”
What does the future hold for Taylor Dever?
He has been prepared to look for the agent talks to heat up as the season comes to a close, and he has a shot with the NFL.
“That's definitely something. I am going to try and just look for that one opportunity, that one shot, and make the best of it and go from there.”
Given Dever's track record of hitting challenges head on, there is a good chance folks could one day end up seeing Taylor Dever suit up on Sundays.
Brian O'Brien is a regular contributor to The Union. To contact the Sports department, e-mail sports@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4232.
