East Lansing, Mich. – Strong bloodlines don’t always translate into success.

But in the case of legacy Spartan football player and rising star Darius Snow, bloodlines have foreshadowed a blossoming level of success.

The son of former Michigan State men’s basketball star Eric Snow (1991-95) and the nephew of former Spartan All-American linebacker Percy Snow (1986-89), Darius meets all of the requirements of the apple not falling far from the tree, especially when it comes to showcasing his talent on the football field.

After participating in six games on special teams as a true freshman in 2020, the latest Snow to fall into the hands of MSU athletics has become an impact starter at the safety position and is well on his way to living up to the family tradition at Michigan State.

“He has an ability that when he makes contact, people go backwards. You notice those things,’’ MSU defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton said Monday morning during the No. 10 Spartans’ Zoom meeting from Atlanta as MSU (10-2) prepares to face No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday (ESPN) at 7 p.m.