TEMPLE, Texas — Texas A&M sophomore linebacker and team captain, Taurean York, loves nothing more than representing his hometown of Temple, Texas.
"My family is enjoying [it], just like I'm enjoying it as well though because I feel like when I'm up on this stand, it's not just me up here, it's my family. It's the whole city of Temple," Taurean York said. "So I'm happy to be a part of it."
The journey for No. 21 has required a ton of hard work, but he's made his name known rather quickly.
"Even if we stop at the store on the way to the game people are like, 'oh, we're on our way, we're gonna go watch this guy from Temple,'" said Rebecca York, Taurean's mom. "We're like, 'that's our son!'"
From the beginning, Taurean York was driven to succeed, especially in the sport he loved most, football.
"He always excelled at whatever he did," Taurean's grandmother, Rosalina Rodriquez, said.
Despite a stellar high school season, the undersized linebacker initially struggled to attract college offers. However, when Texas A&M extended an invitation, York found an immediate connection with Aggieland, sensing it was the perfect fit for his future.
"Rebecca looked at me and the only thing she said is like Taurean deserves this. And it was just an awesome feeling. I like, you know what? You're right. He does deserve this," Taurean's dad, Robert York, said.
That was excellent news for one set of family members.
"I graduated from an A&M", Robert York's adopted father, Taurean York's grandfather, Eddie Howtin said. "Talked to Baylor. Well, that's a little better because it was close. We could go to the game. But the day they called and said he was going to A&M, I mean, I was just excited. I couldn't hardly stand it too, to know, I mean, I go to, I've been going to the games more now than I did when I went to school there."
"When we'd have Christmas or something we would get Taurean something from A&M, you know, just kind of pushing it, along from when he was little, we'd buy A&M jerseys and stuff like that," Taurean York's grandmother, Nelda Howtin, explained.
Of course, it didn't take long for Taurean York to leave his mark on the program.
"And all of a sudden he gave that phone call like 'Daddy, like I'm starting' and 'I'm like, what?'" Robert York recalled.
"When the rest of the players selected Taurean as, as a captain, it just says something about Taurean," said his grandmother, Luis.
Taurean York isn't just a good football player from Temple, either. He spent his later high school years volunteering to help mentor teens in the community.
Literacy ambassador leader Doree Collins remembers seeing Taurean York out and about.
"Every single kid that came in here to and made them feel like they were the most important kid in here. And you know, I know that his leadership role is manifested right now in football, but I do have to say he's way bigger than that," she said.
And now he's playing on the biggest stage.
"This is probably the biggest game they will play," Nelda Howtin said. "I don't care if they play in the championships. This is gonna be a big game."
"It's a huge thing for your son to basically be the face of a program, especially like a major college in Texas where football is everything, but it just... just feels like so natural like this is exactly what we're supposed to be doing," Rebecca York said.
Taurean York and the Aggies take on Texas at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.