When Marcus and Deontae Curry are on the field for Hinsdale South’s football team, there is no sibling rivalry that distracts them from trying to play their best for the Hornets.
Marcus Curry is a featured running back for the Hinsdale South and his younger brother, Deontae, is one of the team’s starting inside linebackers.
Deontae Curry, a junior, also lines up in the offensive backfield, and there is nobody he would rather block for than Marcus, a senior.
“I want him to get the job done, so I usually open up the hole for him,” Deontae Curry said. “We have played with each other pretty much our whole lives, because we played for the same youth team (Downers Grove Panthers). It is a good feeling (playing together).
“It is going to be different when he leaves next year for college, because he always pushes me to get better.”
Despite not playing due to an injury during a 42-0 West Suburban Gold victory against Proviso East on Saturday, Sept. 26, Marcus Curry is still the leading rusher for Hinsdale South (3-2, 2-1). He has gained 378 yards on 78 carries and scored seven touchdowns.
He gets primed for game action by facing his brother when Deontae is playing defense in practice.
“It is intense; it gets me better every time I go up against him,” Marcus Curry said. “We have a pretty strong rivalry and are always trying to outdo each other. We are trying to make each other better.
“I think football helps our bond get a lot better, because we have something in common. We are always around each other, 24/7, just watching film and trying to get better every day.”
Deontae Curry, who led Hinsdale South with four tackles for loss heading into the Proviso East game, spent almost the whole season with Marcus on the varsity as a sophomore.
“I actually learned that the game is a lot quicker because he told me about it,” Deontae said. “He taught me how to push myself to the point where I cannot go anymore. (Playing together) has brought us way closer, it gets us to spend even more time together.”
The brothers, who live in Willowbrook, even work together at Chik-Fil-a when they are not in class or playing football.
Football is a family affair for the Currys. Their father, who is also named Marcus Curry, has been a coach for the Hornets the past two seasons. He worked with the defense last season, and is helping coach the running backs this year.
“Getting this opportunity is really bittersweet for me, to be on this entire journey with them,” coach Marcus Curry said. “As they go off to college, that is going to be the bitter part, letting go.”
Spending so much time together on the field has strengthened the father-sons relationship, as well.
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“For them being in high school, it is different than with youth sports,” Marcus Curry said. “They actually have a voice now. Being able to communicate with me, as a dad and as a coach, I think it has helped us learn to communicate with a lot of different things, outside of football.”
Patrick Kelly is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.