From walk-on to First-Team All-Gulf South Conference senior football player Taylor Carney has certainly defied all odds.

The 6-foot-2-inch 275-pound defensive lineman from Killen is the leading returning tackler for the Lions. He was one of the starters on a defensive unit that held opponents to 19.8 point per game, the best in the GSC.

“He has been a great leader on the team, played a lot of football in the last three years and has taken a leadership role on the defense,” said coach Bobby Wallace. “He leads by example and he leads vocally.”

The Lions will need Carney’s leadership this year as he is one of only two returning starters on the defense.

Carney says he hopes improve on his stellar campaign last year.

“On a scale of one to 10 (on football ability) I pride myself on being above average so I give myself an eight right now,” Carney said. “I pride myself on getting better.”

Carney says that when he is on the field he sets a standard to play as hard as he can and to work as hard, so he can be the very best for himself and for his teammates.

“He’s been a great leader for me and the team,” said junior running back Lamonte Thompson. “He’s just a great competitor and a hard worker.”

Carney is a business marketing major and says he plans on working as a pharmaceutical sales representative or work in advertising and marketing when he leaves UNA.

He also said he is prepping for an even better season this year than last season’s GSC championship and hopes to let his teammates know what they can do with hard work.

“Don’t let anybody tell you what you can’t do,” he said. “I walked on here and now I am at a good place.”