Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMcKinnon following in footsteps of former SU star Darius
By Andy McCullough and John Clayton
Posted: 8/27/08, 12:24 AM EST Section: Sports
He wears his idol's number (No. 20) and attends his alma mater (Syracuse).
And now he starts for the Orange, just like his idol did.
Sophomore Randy McKinnon was named Syracuse's starting free safety Sunday, manning the post his mentor Donovin Darius held from 1995 to 1997.
"It's a blessing, I feel," McKinnon said, "just to be able to walk in the shoes of somebody as great at Donovin Darius do the things that he did for this program."
McKinnon met the Syracuse star and the nine-year NFL veteran at their church in Jacksonville, Fla., where McKinnon played for The Potter's House Christian Academy. Darius, meanwhile, played for the Jaguars. Darius caught McKinnon in a few high school games and took him under his wing. They would watch Darius' highlight film together - a mentoring role, McKinnon said.
It's part of the reason he traveled up north to Syracuse in the first place.
McKinnon got in all 12 games last year, mostly at special teams. Coming into the season, McKinnon was stuck behind senior A.J. Brown at the strong safety slot. But head coach Greg Robinson asked him to switch midway through camp, a move that led him to the first team.
He beat out sophomore kick returner Max Suter and senior converted running back Paul Chiara for the job.
"Randy, for a long period of time, was very consistent," Robinson said at his press conference Sunday. "Back there in the secondary, that's critical. Sometimes we can get fooled by physical skills. But it goes beyond that."
Darius isn't the only Orange alumnus McKinnon keeps in contact with. Joe Fields, a starting safety for the Orange the past two seasons, would call at random during the summer and quiz McKinnon on coverage strategies and defensive assignments.
That tutoring paid off this season. So did his aggressiveness, he said.
McKinnon found out Sunday when he saw the team's depth chart posted online.
"I kind of figured, since I was running with the 'one's' and I saw it on paper," he said. "So I guess it was just confirming."
And now he starts for the Orange, just like his idol did.
Sophomore Randy McKinnon was named Syracuse's starting free safety Sunday, manning the post his mentor Donovin Darius held from 1995 to 1997.
"It's a blessing, I feel," McKinnon said, "just to be able to walk in the shoes of somebody as great at Donovin Darius do the things that he did for this program."
McKinnon met the Syracuse star and the nine-year NFL veteran at their church in Jacksonville, Fla., where McKinnon played for The Potter's House Christian Academy. Darius, meanwhile, played for the Jaguars. Darius caught McKinnon in a few high school games and took him under his wing. They would watch Darius' highlight film together - a mentoring role, McKinnon said.
It's part of the reason he traveled up north to Syracuse in the first place.
McKinnon got in all 12 games last year, mostly at special teams. Coming into the season, McKinnon was stuck behind senior A.J. Brown at the strong safety slot. But head coach Greg Robinson asked him to switch midway through camp, a move that led him to the first team.
He beat out sophomore kick returner Max Suter and senior converted running back Paul Chiara for the job.
"Randy, for a long period of time, was very consistent," Robinson said at his press conference Sunday. "Back there in the secondary, that's critical. Sometimes we can get fooled by physical skills. But it goes beyond that."
Darius isn't the only Orange alumnus McKinnon keeps in contact with. Joe Fields, a starting safety for the Orange the past two seasons, would call at random during the summer and quiz McKinnon on coverage strategies and defensive assignments.
That tutoring paid off this season. So did his aggressiveness, he said.
McKinnon found out Sunday when he saw the team's depth chart posted online.
"I kind of figured, since I was running with the 'one's' and I saw it on paper," he said. "So I guess it was just confirming."
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