Colorado Buffs’ Shedeur Sanders might have looked up to his legendary dad Deion Sanders growing up, Christian Driver might take utmost pleasure in donning like his father NFL phenom Donald Driver, but the father-son fairytale is a myth for Minnesota Running Back Darius Taylor Junior. Taylor has a strained reality related to his father, Darius Taylor Sr. But thanks to the kind, loving spirits he found in the two phenomenal women from his family tree, he could sustain a wholesome childhood.

Well, surprisingly, none of them was his mother, rather maternal grandmother Shanika Dennis and paternal grandmother, Carletta Taylor, who rescued the boy from a childhood of hardships.

Darius Taylor’s Father Charged with Murder

Before Taylor became one of the most sensational superstars, the Minnesota Golden Gophers looked up to in the 2024 season, he proved his mettle through a lengthy path, including a high-scale high school career in Michigan, where he had a standout football career. In his senior season, he rushed for a spectacular 2,450 yards and posted a total of 36 touchdowns on 268 carries. His excellent stats and consistent deliveries earned him the tag of three-star recruit, leading to a slew of opportunities from various top-tier verities, including Minnesota. During one landmark moment in his storied career for the Gophers at Quick Lane Bowl, he had his entire family except his dad cheering for him upon a terrific 208 yards. Well, it’s not because the kid didn’t have a good rapport with his father, Darius Taylor Sr, but destiny kept them apart for a decade and beyond.

Darius Taylor Sr, the Gophers’ RB’s father, lives 330 miles away at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Michigan, imprisoned for 12 years with an acute murder charge. While this is certainly the darkest reality of Taylor’s life, his father might still clap at his success from afar with a drop of tears swirling down his eyes. “He means everything to me. He is my motivation to get out of here. I am doing everything I can to get out of here,” Darius Sr., a father thirsty to be a part of his son’s sky-high success, expressed over the phone in a conversation with startribune.com.

A melancholy written in the history. However, as they say, in life, everything falls back into balance. Whereas Taylor can’t find his dad’s replacement in anybody else, he had his grandmothers (both from paternal and maternal lineage) unconditional love and support as a strong underpinning in his growing up.

Darius Taylor is a Man Written by women

Taylor was born and brought up in Detroit, Michigan, where he nurtured his innate love for football. Being accustomed to the popular urban culture, Taylor coped with various life challenges and struggles with ease. A child who has seen his dad leaving the family with a heinous conviction charge must have some unprocessed trauma piled up in his heart. But that didn’t ever come between his ever-evolving commitment to football and a promising career. Thanks to the superwomen in his life. Grandmother Bertha Amiker and Carletta Taylor had treated him with mother-like care, as his mother was too young (16 years old) to raise a kid of her own when little Taylor was born. So, the safety net of two old ladies saved a dwindling childhood.

However, destiny played cruel again. His maternal granny has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since then, Aunt Shanika Dennis stepped in alongside Carletta to be the caretaker of his holistic well-being.

Despite injury bugs hitting hard at the start of the season, the sky is the only limit for Darius Taylor in his sophomore year with the Gophers.

If you want to know about other nitty-gritty of college football, you can refer to our ES Think Tank interview with Doug Sanders, founder of Sanders Sports and Entertainment.