Last Man Standing: Perfect Timing For Kenneth Scott

As the last player recruited and enrolled from Utah's MWC era, Kenneth Scott has been through a lot in his 5 years with the Utes.

A move to the Pac-12 from the Mountain West Conference, 5 Offensive Coordinators, 2 position coaches, 2 of the worst seasons in Utah history and 2 broken ankles. Through it all, he has remained one of the most important players on this team and right now may be the perfect time for him to make his mark not only in Utah history, but college football as a whole.

As I sat and talked to Scotty about the players he's shared the field with, the amount of time he has spent in Salt Lake City becomes even more apparent. For instance, Scott has shared the field with names like John Cullen, Jordan Wynn, Shaky Smithson, Luke Mathews and Matt Asiata just to name a few. Hearing him run down this list took me back to a forgotten time in Utah football. A time when Utah could almost do no wrong and there was never a fear of disappointment. Things are different now, and Kenneth Scott is the only player on the current roster that remembers Utah pre-Pac-12. "Man, it's been an evolution," Scott says, "I remember all those guys that played on the undefeated team. I remember the trailers while the facility was being built and only being able to get one pair of gloves. We only had one color too, gray."

Scott told me that he's grown in his 5 years at Utah, and if you think about it, his career has been a little reflective of Utah's growth during that same time. He told me that he's more knowledgeable and well-rounded than his freshman year in 2010. "I think the biggest thing is that I am a lot more patient. I used to want things to happen right away, as far as playing time and results go. Now, I understand that there's a process to everything and I have to let things play out."

These lessons have come in many different ways for Scott, most notably in the form of two broken ankles. However the latter of the two ended up being the more devastating. It came at time when Utah had a chance to do something special in the national spotlight and Scott was to be a huge part of that success. The silver lining is that his injury in 2013 was the catalyst for his medical redshirt and a chance to play what will be his final season this year.

Off of the field, Scott has committed to making a difference in the community. He's spent a considerable amount of time this year volunteering at one of Utah's juvenile detention facilities. "I just want to inspire them. Hopefully something I say will affect them in a positive way. I wish I would have had some more people to talk to when I was growing up. Or even someone to be more of a role model. Maybe I wouldn't have done some of the things that I did. That's what I want to do for these kids."

Southern California's history is well known and the difficulties growing up there are not for the faint of heart. K-Scott told me that luckily he had a strong support system that taught him to work hard and succeed in school and in football. Ultimately, this has transitioned into his everyday life. Beyond football, he wants to help people, at risk youth in particular. Majoring in Economics and minoring in Human Development and Sociology will give him the tools he needs to help give kids an opportunity to achieve whatever they set their minds to.

Right now, Kenneth Scott is ready to achieve his full potential. I asked him what comes to mind when he thinks about his senior season, "It's finally here," he responds, "it's overdue even and in a way it's perfect timing. Coach A-Rod recruited me. He's the reason I came to Utah. When they took the OC job away from him, it was kind of hard, so now that he's back in that position, I feel like things are lined up perfect for this year."

Scott feels that coach Roderick's offensive plan fits well with his strengths. He even mentioned the fact that Utah lined up with four verticals in the spring, something Utah did not do a single time last season under the former Offensive Coordinator. Scott is confident in his role on this team. He's a leader. Although his position coach would like him to be more vocal, he's ready to do whatever is necessary to help his group be the best unit on the field. "I'm just ready. I just need the opportunity. I watched film on all of the top receivers in the conference and the only difference I saw between them and me was opportunity."

I asked Scott how he wanted to be remembered and he had a hard time responding, "Man, I don't even know. That's a really hard question." I suspect that his humbleness didn't allow him to process the question so I attempted to explain how the majority of fans will remember him. Kenneth Scott is of the rare breed of players that fans and people only hope for success. Aside from his great hands, strong work ethic and insane athletic ability, he's the ultimate fans player. He allows us to feel connected to the program on a more in depth level. There were tears in the stadium when he broke his ankle against Utah State, and some of the biggest cheers ever to come out of Rice-Eccles Stadium was when he scored his first touchdown in 2014 against Fresno St. He's allowed us to take the journey with him rather than watch from the stands, and this year just might prove to be the ultimate chapter in the Kenneth Scott story at the University of Utah. No matter what happens in 2015 for the Utes, Scott has helped usher in a new era for Utah football and the nation is watching.