Kroger KSR Game of the Week Preview: Elizabethtown at Taylor County

The Kroger KSR Game of the Week crew is heading to Campbellsville on Friday. This week’s matchup features Taylor County (1-1) vs. Elizabethtown (0-2).

Friday will mark the third consecutive week that our touring show has followed a Kentucky commit. We highlighted quarterback Cutter Boley in the season opener but missed out on Simon Kenton’s offensive lineman Aba Selm due to a game cancellation from severe weather. We’ll be hoping that Week 3 can fend off Mother Nature.

Back in January, Taylor County three-star offensive lineman Hayes Johnson announced his pledge to the ‘Cats live on Kentucky Sports Radio. The 6’4, 295-pounder has played all five positions along the offensive line and sports an outgoing personality. He’s quickly becoming a fan favorite based on his calls to KSR radio. The host Cardinals are also led by the Smith brothers: Kaden (EKU commit) and Peyton. Both are exciting and impactful playmakers who are fun to watch.

BBN I’m home💙@UKFootball pic.twitter.com/YVxp45t7fx

— Hayes Johnson (@hjohnson_71) January 26, 2023

The Game

The Cardinals of Taylor County are 1-1 on the young season with a win over Bardstown and a loss to Mercer County. However, few think of Taylor County as light when their starting tackle is one of the best players in the entire state.

Hayes Johnson is a staple within the Kentucky recruiting class, one of the guys who will protect Cutter Boley in a few years. The UK coaching staff loves Johnson and raves about what he can do at all five positions across the line. However, with that talent, many across Taylor County have been expecting a big year from the Cardinals.

On Friday night, they will play host to a struggling Elizabethtown Panthers, a squad that has dropped both their games to Fairdale and Meade County.

Elizabethtown has talent, though, with Trey Durbin, an RB/LB who exploded for 1,140 yards and 13 scores a year ago. Durbin also added six touchdowns in the air a season ago. However, he’ll have to add immense pressure on Taylor County QB Rex Parkey, who has two interceptions through two games. Meanwhile, the Smith brothers have combined for 368 yards on the ground, along with four touchdowns, this season for Taylor County. Kaden Smith has also given the Cardinals 19 total tackles and nine tackles for loss.

Elizabethtown is looking for their first win on the season. The Panthers are a far cry from their 2022 campaign, where they made it to Kroger Field before falling in the 3A championship to Christian Academy-Louisville. Greyson Hainer is under center for the Panthers and has added 90 rushing yards to his 244 yards in the air so far this season. WR Juan Williams has added over 100 yards in his two games. Hainer and Williams will look to combine for some big plays to stretch out a Cardinal defense that has allowed 41 points through the first two games. 

KSR gets to see Hayes Johnson

Taylor County has made the jump from 3A to 4A this season and defeated their first 4A foe in Bardstown last week. Naturally, people are intrigued to see how the Cardinals deal with that next level of competition. However, Hayes Johnson knows his Cardinals can handle it.

“Honestly, we are just going week by week,” Johnson said. “We can play with anyone, so we just need to focus on ourselves, and we will be just fine.”

With a leader like that, Taylor County should feel just fine about the jump.

Regarding signing with Kentucky, Johnson gave an answer that all of the BBN will love to hear. When asked about what fans can expect of him, he said, “Kentucky kid that loves this state and university and will do whatever it takes to win. I know what the standards are that BBN wants from athletes, ’cause I’ve been a part of it my whole life and I’m gonna hold myself to them standards.”

GO CATS #BBN @UKCoachStoops @vincemarrow @OL_Coach_Yenser @Drake_Jackson52 pic.twitter.com/ydSlHW85ZO

— Hayes Johnson (@hjohnson_71) August 1, 2023