Looking to Go Out with a Bang
Apr 08, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Without playing a single down of football in the 2025 season, Kansas State offensive lineman Taylor Poitier has already made history.
He is the only player in K-State history to be on roster for seven seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound native of Kansas City, Kansas, was rated as the eighth-best player in the state of Kansas by ESPN for the Class of 2019 after helping Bishop Miege High School to multiple Kansas Class 5A state championships.
Now, Poitier is a 24-year-old who was part of Chris Klieman's first signing class, and he has been a part of five postseason bowls — the Liberty Bowl (2019), Texas Bowl (2021), Sugar Bowl (2022), Pop-Tarts Bowl (2023) and Rate Bowl (2024).
What keeps him coming back?
"I want to go out with a bang, honestly," Poitier said. "This is probably the best I've felt in a while, in all honesty. I'm really excited for this year. My end goal is always a championship."
A series of mishaps has made the jaunt to a seventh season possible.
Touted by Klieman as perhaps "our best offensive lineman" during the 2020 season after playing in four games, including starts in each of the final two contests, Poitier was primed to be a full-time starter at right guard in 2021. But during the fourth day of fall practice — the first day wearing full pads — Poitier pulled around when a teammate hit his left knee.
He tore his anterior-cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament, hamstring, and hyper-extended his knee, requiring nearly a year-long rehab.
"Honestly, I wondered if I was ever going to play this game again," he said. "I thought about the worst scenarios. I wondered if I'd ever be as good as I was. But as I started to get better, I kept getting more confident.
"I could see myself being even better."
In discussing his rehabilitation process, he said that "I don't wish it on anybody."
"The recovery was absolutely terrible," he said. "It was every day. The first five months was definitely a grind. I don't wish it on anybody. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done physically and mentally.
"But I'm not going to quit on anybody. I'm never going to quit on my team. I'm always going to give my 100%. When times get tough, I'm going to fight back."
Poitier grew emotional heading toward the 2022 season opener as starting right guard against South Dakota.
"I'll probably cry, honestly," he told reporters. "There's so much emotion that I went through last year and missing out on everything. Just so grateful to be back and be a part of this team again."
However, in excruciating fashion, Poitier was tested again.
He went down in the second quarter against South Dakota.
He had to miss the remainder of the season.
"It's cruel thing, man," Klieman said days after the season opener. "He tore a knee again, and he'll be out for the season. It's an awful outcome. Sometimes the cruelest things happen to the best kids. My heart goes out to him because of all he did to get himself back."
Poitier recovered. Again.
And he's been going strong ever since.
In 2023, he played in all 13 games as a regular member of the playing rotation, seeing time on 363 offensive snaps. Last season, he started all 13 games at right guard, seeing time on 693 offensive snaps. He was an integral part of an offensive line unit that helped the Wildcats set school records in rushing yards per carry (6.08) and offensive yards per play (6.57) as they finished second and 13th nationally in those two categories. He also helped K-State surrender just 13 sacks, its fewest since 2000, while the Wildcats' 1.00 sacks allowed per game ranked 10th nationally.
"Years prior, we always talked about how I'd never be here for five years, six years, and now I'm coming back for a seventh year," Poitier said. "It was really a forced decision, I would say. I wouldn't say they made me come back, it was more in my own thoughts, those games, it never really felt like it was my last time, if that makes any sense.
"Spiritually, it never felt like it was my last time out here. That's pretty much why I decided to come back. My brother would ask me if I was going to come back and I said, 'Heck, no.' Honestly, I just kept thinking to myself, this is my last ride, and it really wasn't, so I'm coming back another year."
Poitier said that he gained eight pounds of muscle and lost five pounds of fat during winter conditioning, adding that he had eaten fast food just three times.
He said that he is better mentally and physically.
"Years past, mentally, I felt like something was always holding me back, and I couldn't really figure it out," he said. "I wouldn't say that I've figured it out right now, but mentally I feel a whole lot better, and physically I feel a whole lot better."
Now a team leader, Poitier has helped lead the charge in the weight room. Away from the football field and weight room, a warm smile — one that has filled the Vanier Family Football Complex for seven years now — is ever-present.
"I've been really disciplined with my diet and really focused on treatment," he said. "I'm here all day doing some type of recovery, some type of treatment for my body to make sure I'm good for the next day."
As Poitier knows all-too well, every day is precious.
Without playing a single down of football in the 2025 season, Kansas State offensive lineman Taylor Poitier has already made history.
He is the only player in K-State history to be on roster for seven seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound native of Kansas City, Kansas, was rated as the eighth-best player in the state of Kansas by ESPN for the Class of 2019 after helping Bishop Miege High School to multiple Kansas Class 5A state championships.
Now, Poitier is a 24-year-old who was part of Chris Klieman's first signing class, and he has been a part of five postseason bowls — the Liberty Bowl (2019), Texas Bowl (2021), Sugar Bowl (2022), Pop-Tarts Bowl (2023) and Rate Bowl (2024).
What keeps him coming back?
"I want to go out with a bang, honestly," Poitier said. "This is probably the best I've felt in a while, in all honesty. I'm really excited for this year. My end goal is always a championship."
A series of mishaps has made the jaunt to a seventh season possible.
Touted by Klieman as perhaps "our best offensive lineman" during the 2020 season after playing in four games, including starts in each of the final two contests, Poitier was primed to be a full-time starter at right guard in 2021. But during the fourth day of fall practice — the first day wearing full pads — Poitier pulled around when a teammate hit his left knee.
He tore his anterior-cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament, hamstring, and hyper-extended his knee, requiring nearly a year-long rehab.
"Honestly, I wondered if I was ever going to play this game again," he said. "I thought about the worst scenarios. I wondered if I'd ever be as good as I was. But as I started to get better, I kept getting more confident.
"I could see myself being even better."
In discussing his rehabilitation process, he said that "I don't wish it on anybody."
"The recovery was absolutely terrible," he said. "It was every day. The first five months was definitely a grind. I don't wish it on anybody. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done physically and mentally.
"But I'm not going to quit on anybody. I'm never going to quit on my team. I'm always going to give my 100%. When times get tough, I'm going to fight back."
Poitier grew emotional heading toward the 2022 season opener as starting right guard against South Dakota.
"I'll probably cry, honestly," he told reporters. "There's so much emotion that I went through last year and missing out on everything. Just so grateful to be back and be a part of this team again."
However, in excruciating fashion, Poitier was tested again.
He went down in the second quarter against South Dakota.
He had to miss the remainder of the season.
"It's cruel thing, man," Klieman said days after the season opener. "He tore a knee again, and he'll be out for the season. It's an awful outcome. Sometimes the cruelest things happen to the best kids. My heart goes out to him because of all he did to get himself back."
Poitier recovered. Again.
And he's been going strong ever since.
In 2023, he played in all 13 games as a regular member of the playing rotation, seeing time on 363 offensive snaps. Last season, he started all 13 games at right guard, seeing time on 693 offensive snaps. He was an integral part of an offensive line unit that helped the Wildcats set school records in rushing yards per carry (6.08) and offensive yards per play (6.57) as they finished second and 13th nationally in those two categories. He also helped K-State surrender just 13 sacks, its fewest since 2000, while the Wildcats' 1.00 sacks allowed per game ranked 10th nationally.
"Years prior, we always talked about how I'd never be here for five years, six years, and now I'm coming back for a seventh year," Poitier said. "It was really a forced decision, I would say. I wouldn't say they made me come back, it was more in my own thoughts, those games, it never really felt like it was my last time, if that makes any sense.
"Spiritually, it never felt like it was my last time out here. That's pretty much why I decided to come back. My brother would ask me if I was going to come back and I said, 'Heck, no.' Honestly, I just kept thinking to myself, this is my last ride, and it really wasn't, so I'm coming back another year."
Poitier said that he gained eight pounds of muscle and lost five pounds of fat during winter conditioning, adding that he had eaten fast food just three times.
He said that he is better mentally and physically.
"Years past, mentally, I felt like something was always holding me back, and I couldn't really figure it out," he said. "I wouldn't say that I've figured it out right now, but mentally I feel a whole lot better, and physically I feel a whole lot better."
Now a team leader, Poitier has helped lead the charge in the weight room. Away from the football field and weight room, a warm smile — one that has filled the Vanier Family Football Complex for seven years now — is ever-present.
"I've been really disciplined with my diet and really focused on treatment," he said. "I'm here all day doing some type of recovery, some type of treatment for my body to make sure I'm good for the next day."
As Poitier knows all-too well, every day is precious.
Players Mentioned
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