JOE CURRY JOINS FERRIS STATE COACHING STAFF

Curry replaces Joe Allgeier (pronounced ALL-guy-er), who spent one season as the Bulldogs’ defensive line coach before departing after the conclusion of the 2001 season.

“Joe is a high-energy coach who will help us on the defensive side of the ball,” said Pierce. “He has a good understanding of what we’re doing defensively and is also familiar with our conference (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – formerly Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference) having played collegiately at St. Francis. I believe he will step right in and become a beneficial part of our coaching staff due to his qualifications and knowledge of the game.

“Joe certainly understands the profession and the type of committment necessary to be successful since he comes from a coaching background,” added Pierce.

Curry began his collegiate coaching career last season as an assistant coach at his alma mater St. Francis under head coach Mike Slovick. His primary responsibility was coaching the defensive line as the Fighting Saints went on to post a 4-6 overall record in their second season as a member of the Mid-States Football Association’s Midwest League. He also served as a student teacher at Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy for four months (August-December 2001).

Prior to last season, the 23-year old Curry spent four years (1998-01) as the defensive line coach at Aurora (Ill.) Central Catholic High School and also served as head coach of the school’s freshmen baseball squad in 2001. While at Aurora, Curry also held the position of weight training supervisor.

Curry, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education (history concentration) from St. Francis in 2001, was a three-year (1998-00) letterwinner at defensive tackle for USF where he received MIFC Honorable Mention laurels in 1998 and Mid-States Football Association-Midwest League Second-Team honors in 2000. Curry was also named a preseason All-American for the 2000 campaign by Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette. He compiled career totals of 71 unassisted tackles, 97 assisted stops, 15 tackles for loss and 7.5 quarterback sacks. Curry initially started his college playing career at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind., and was a two-year member (1996-97) of the Sycamores’ football program. He then transferred to Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Ill., where he attended from January to August 1998.

A 1996 graduate of Aurora Central Catholic High School, Curry was both a three-time (1993-95) all-Private School League and all-area honoree in football. He concluded his prep varsity career as the school’s all-time leading tackler with 342 career stops and was named to the Chicago Sun-Times’ All-State Football squad in 1995. Curry competed in both the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Shriners East-West All-Star game and the Suburban High School North-South All-Star game in 1996. He also earned baseball all-state honorable mention accolades in 1995 while being named to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State squad. Curry was named to the the Aurora Beacon News All-Area First-Team Baseball squad two straight seasons (1995-96). He was a two-time team captain in all three sports and was selected to the 1995-96 all-conference team in basketball.

The son of Mike and Liane Curry of Aurora, Ill., Curry is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). His father has been a prep football coach for almost 30 years, winning two state championships at Freeport (Ill.) Aquin High School before coaching the last 15 years at Aurora Central Catholic.