CHAPEL HILL - Ryan Taylor is still having difficulty recovering from a knee injury and will likely take medical redshirt status this season at North Carolina, Coach Butch Davis said yesterday.
Taylor, a tight end from Mount Tabor High School, hasn't played after injuring his knee on Aug. 11 in practice. UNC has three games left in the regular season, little time for Taylor to return and work his way back into the lineup.
Davis said that he and Taylor discussed the possibility of redshirting recently when a return this season appeared unlikely.
"We've talked a lot about it," Davis said. "I would say that barring anything that would be extraordinarily disastrous, he'll probably redshirt. That's kind of the plan now.
"For us to allow him to go through the entire season and bring him back for the last three or four games probably isn't in the team's best interest. I don't think it's necessarily in Ryan's best interest. He's OK with it."
Taylor, a 6-3, 240-pound senior, has not redshirted at UNC. He has one season of eligibility left and can return as a senior again in 2010.
He was listed as UNC's No. 1 tight end at the start of summer practice in August. He was eager to catch his first college pass after a standout high-school career as a receiver in which he caught 118 passes for 2,175 yards and 25 touchdowns in his last two seasons.
Taylor was a standout special teams player in his first three UNC seasons. He earned a captain's role for special teams heading into this season because of his playing time and tackles on the team as a junior.
Taylor said after being injured that he wanted to return in time for UNC's first game on Sept. 5, but complications slowed his recovery and his practice time has been limited for most of the season.
"He returned to practice probably about 10 days ago to where he could go full speed, live," Davis said. "After the first week his knee was actually still a little bit sore from all the cutting and breaking and playing on the scout team. It's so much different than pushing sleds on your own."
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