Freshman QB Curry gets Aurora Central Catholic to 2nd round of Class 4A playoffs: ‘This is the guy’

Freshman quarterback Griffin Curry knew that his opportunity to play regularly behind center for Aurora Central Catholic would eventually come, so there was no need to rush things.

He was happy to bide his time, especially since the position was still fairly new to him. That patience — as exercised by Chargers coach Christian Rago — has certainly paid off.

To start the season, Rago had good reason to go at QB with untested senior Aidan Crisci, a converted running back. Grant Bohr, last year’s starter and Curry’s cousin, had graduated.

So did Griffin’s older bother Brodie, who was Bohr’s favorite target.

“I knew during the summer that Aidan was going to be the No. 1 option because he already knew the plays,” Griffin said. “I was going to come in, learn the playbook and, basically, get comfortable.

“Once I did, coach Rago gave me the nod to be the starter for our homecoming game.”

It came in the fifth week of the regular season as Curry started in a 48-0 win over Walther Christian. The previous week, he relieved Crisci late in a 35-0 loss to Alton Marquette.

That setback dropped ACC to 0-4, but the Chargers (5-6) are now headed to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.

“Just watching Griffin in practice, how he handles himself, acts with the team and how the team reacts to him, you could see it was forming,” Rago said of Curry’s relationship with his teammates. “Griffin just needed that extra time to learn the playbook and get used to high school football.

“When he came in against Marquette, he took control of the huddle immediately. Everyone looks up and locks in. I kind of knew at that point, ‘This is the guy.’”

Griffin has gone 5-2 in seven starts for ACC, including back-to-back postseason wins over Chicago Public league opponents — 49-8 over Carver and 7-0 over Rauner.

ACC hosts Rochelle (7-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the second round

“They’re a big team and run the wing-T really well,” Curry said. “We’ve just gotta play our game.”

The Chargers rely on their ground game, which has accounted for 1,388 of their 2,214 yards. Crisci leads with 632.

The passing game has improved with the 6-foot-1, 182-pound Curry throwing for 628 yards and nine touchdowns.

“I’ve played football since sixth grade but was mostly a receiver and outside linebacker,” Curry said. “I also was a backup quarterback. This summer, I was mainly doing quarterback drills but started at receiver and played middle linebacker and outside linebacker those first five weeks.

“Coach said it was just to get me on the field because he knew I could contribute.”

His family name and ACC go hand in hand. Paternal grandfather Mike Curry coached the Chargers for 26 seasons from 1987 to 2009, taking them to the playoffs seven times.

His dad, Billy, a Kendall County sheriff’s deputy, and his two brothers all played at ACC.

“He comes to every single game and is one of my biggest fans,” Griffin said of his grandpa Mike.

Curry has connected with both Crisci, who has 14 catches for 249 yards and five TDs, and junior receiver Leo Corral, who leads ACC with 24 catches for 454 yards and nine TDs.

“Griffin has really grown this season, and with his arm, really opens up the passing game a lot,” Corral said. “It gives me some free will to do whatever I want.”

Rago pointed to Curry’s growth.

“Just his ability to throw and understand defenses already as a freshman has allowed us to open it up,” Rago said. “You feel a little more comfortable calling a pass play here and there, and Aidan is happy to be back at wingback and fullback.

“Griffin is comfortable and confident when he’s out there, and when he does make a mistake, never freaks out.”