By: Nolan Alexander
Kareem Taylor woke up with his sheets soaked in blood. He should have listened to his mom.
"Both arms had two deep gashes, and they kept bleeding all night on my sheets. She just looked at me and said, 'you didn't wear your elbow pads did you?'," recalled the now junior Kennesaw State linebacker.
That was roughly a decade ago after a Pee Wee football game in Effingham County, sandwiched between Statesboro and Savannah, and also one of the last times that Taylor didn't heed the wisdom from his mother, Niasha.
"My mom instilled in me at a very young age that faith is important. Academics is huge and football is cool and all but, God is the most important factor in life period," said Taylor, who is off to a blazing 2019 as a first-year starter. "She used to say that tough times don't last but tough people do."
Those words would prove to be a beacon throughout Taylor's life, especially in moments of strife.
It dates to his youth as one of four children to Niasha; two boys and two girls. As a single parent, she made numerous sacrifices to make sure her children's needs were met. That also meant that Kareem had to grow up quickly while his mother was making ends meet.
"There would be days where she was working, and my older brother and I would have to get my sisters ready for school," said Taylor.
As a freshman, his first taste of the Effingham County-South Effingham rivalry was bittersweet. As an Effingham County Rebel, his team demolished the hated Mustangs by a wide margin in what would be his last game in a Rebel uniform. The family planned to move the next day across town, so Taylor was forced to switch sides of the rivalry, including approaching the South Effingham coach in what Taylor described as a "really awkward" situation.
From switching positions as a sophomore from running back to linebacker, to a historic senior campaign that saw South Effingham prevail over the Rebels with a blocked field goal attempt, Taylor's determination through change pushed him forward to a chance to play college football.
"Kennesaw State was recruiting me actually out of high school. I knew Coach (Liam) Klein very early, but things ended up not going the way I wanted them to go," said Taylor. "So I ended up signing with Shorter University in late March."
But like before, things didn't work out as planned. He considered quitting after a rude awakening to college football in his first camp, then received news that due to an NCAA-transcript issue he was ineligible for the first four games of his career.
"I faced a lot of adversity. That was probably when God tested me the most and my faith in Him. It really took a toll on me, you know and I got really down on myself. It was to the point where I actually wanted to leave, just go home."
He stuck with it and had a breakout sophomore season in which he made 91 tackles and four sacks.
However, the coaching staff was let go. Taylor faced the decision to stay or try anew elsewhere.
He successfully applied as a student to Kennesaw State, and joined the program as a walk-on for the 2018 season. Taylor sat out the season but earned respect as an unwavering force on the scout team, eventually earning Scout Team Player of the Year honors. Still, the thought of not seeing the field on a Saturday stung.
"I went out every day and gave them the best look I could, I gave it all out. Chandler Burks would say, 'keep faith 5-2, keep working'," said Taylor. "All the OGs just told me, 'man, we can't wait to see you play next year'."
Entering preseason camp this fall, his walk-on status befuddled even some of his teammates. At least until the waning days. Head Coach Brian Bohannon called the six-foot, 223-pounder into his office after practice. Taylor thought he was in trouble but had no clue as to why.
"When I got the scholarship from Coach, I just called my mom as soon as I found out and told her. I was so happy because I knew that my mom didn't have to worry anymore. Because everything she does back home for my sisters, I just want her focusing on that."
Taylor has made an immediate presence to the defense. Through the first four games he leads KSU with 14 solo stops and is second with 24 tackles and 5.5 tackles-for-loss.
"Faith is huge. And it's not easy to keep the faith, you know, but I know that with faith comes favor," said Taylor. "If you have favor in your life, you know the sky's the limit."
