Decatur's Dupper dynasty: Brothers play for Red Raiders for 18 consecutive seaons

Aug. 31—Austin Dupper stood in Decatur High's football field house and pointed at a gold trophy sitting on a shelf near the ceiling.

It dated from 2009 when Torin Dupper was playing his senior year at Decatur High and creating a family tradition in which his five brothers followed his footsteps to play on the football team.

"I remember my very first Decatur-Austin game," Austin Dupper, now a Decatur assistant coach, said of his sophomore season. "Torin, that trophy up there is actually his. They did the Great American Rivalry game and he ended up doing really good that game. They gave us that trophy because we ended up winning it."

At the start of the second half against Austin on Aug. 28, 2009, Torin slipped past the Black Bears' secondary and caught a 44-yard scoring pass. He later added another touchdown catch and had six receptions overall in a 35-13 victory. The game had been nominated as one of the nation's best rivalries in the Air Force Great American Rivalry Series, and Torin was named the game's most valuable player.

Fourteen years later, a Dupper will play in the rivalry for the final time when youngest brother Bradin starts at quarterback for Decatur on Friday night at Ogle Stadium. It's the 18th consecutive season in which at least one Dupper has been a player in the Red Raiders' football program, beginning when Torin was a freshman in 2006.

Mom Kathy Dupper said football has been part of the boys' lives since they were playing in youth leagues and their father, Joe, was coaching them.

"They all played youth football. Their dad did a lot of coaching throughout the years, so we were always on the go on Saturday mornings going to football games," Kathy said. "With my oldest, it was like OK we could sign up for sports, soccer or football. Neither me or my husband knew anything about soccer so we tried football and that was how we kind of got into football."

Austin said he remembered playing for the Decatur Chiefs in the Pop Warner league.

"He definitely influenced me," Austin said of his father. "I'm so grateful he wanted to coach us. That was where it all started with football."

Bradin said he has been playing football for as long as he can remember and that he looks up to his brothers and shares insights with them, including Trentin, the fourth-oldest.

"We would always be outside playing football, just throwing the ball around, playing tackle in the front yard. Just watching them all, how they played and the way they approached the game was big," Bradin said, "Especially Trentin, he has given me some pointers since he played quarterback. Just knowing how he approached the game, how he prepared, the mindset he was in."

All of the brothers — including third-oldest Quintin and fifth-oldest Paxtin — were on Decatur teams during the tenure of Jere Adcock, who retired as head coach after last season. Adcock said the brothers all demonstrated the values he used to mold the Decatur football program during his 27 years as head coach: commitment, character and class.

"During my coaching tenure those were the pillars of the program. That's what we hung our hat on, and those six boys, they had it," Adcock said. "If I try and think of one common thread they all have, it's great work ethic, they're great competitors, they're very committed to the program and they have strong spiritual lives.

"They're just great teammates, too, it doesn't matter race, color or creed. They see people as people. They've been raised that way and definitely emulate the lessons they've been taught by their family."

Austin said part of the reason he returned to his high school alma mater as a coach in 2020 was to help guide his younger brothers Bradin and Paxtin, who graduated in May. Austin said Adcock had a strong influence on all of the brothers.

"It was cool because he coached all of us. I would say his (Adcock's) leadership, that commitment, character, class, the three C's that we always talked about — that really stuck with all of us," Austin said.

Kathy said she and Joe moved to Decatur from Chicago in 1996. They were both athletes at the University of Chicago. Joe played baseball and wrestled. Kathy played softball and basketball. Today, they are both physicians. She is a women's primary care doctor and Joe is a podiatrist.

"Definitely work ethic was a big deal to us," Kathy said. "My grandad was a World War II veteran. My family just always worked hard. We've always been taught to work hard and to earn everything you had. Faith has always been important in our family. That Christian work ethic is always something we've felt strongly about."

That work ethic is evident to the youngest Dupper.

"Throughout the Dupper household you're always going to work your hardest, you're always going to try your best," Bradin said. "You're always going to do the right thing, be a good kid and that's what you have to live up to. There's no if ands or buts, it's just given."

Austin realizes the role the family has had in Decatur High football.

"There were six of us and three of us were all-state, so I guess it's kind of been a legacy, especially the (jersey) number. I'm the only one who didn't wear 19, but all the rest of them wore 19 so it's kind of been a staple," Austin said.

He said Torin was assigned the number his sophomore season and it just stuck.

Adcock appreciates each brother's varied talents.

"Torin played quarterback and tight end and then he went to college at Northwestern and walked on up there," Adcock said. "About every other week I'd get a letter saying 'Hey, Torin was scout team player of the week this week.' Then Austin was a walk-on at Auburn. Quintin then came in and he was a linebacker. After him came Trentin.

"All of them in their own way were leaders, but Trentin was the alpha dog. When he walked on the field or in the weight room, it didn't matter, everybody knew that that guy was in charge. Then here comes Paxtin and then Bradin. Paxtin we moved to linebacker and it was just a natural position for him and Bradin, we always saw Paxtin and Bradin together."

In addition to Torin and Austin walking on college football teams, Trentin played at Centre College in Kentucky.

Despite their performance on the gridiron and in other sports, Austin said he and his brothers don't want to just be remembered for just their athletics but "first and foremost as good Christian men," he said.

"I know Jesus Christ has been a huge part of our family and in each of our stories and it's only by him and the talents that he has given us that we were able to play sports," Austin said.

On Friday, Bradin will lead Decatur on its home field, Ogle Stadium, against its biggest rival. He said Decatur has been preparing and watching film in anticipation for the game after defeating Austin on the Black Bears' home field a year ago.

"It means a lot because the rivalry, it's already embedded in your blood," Bradin said. "If you live in (Southeast) Decatur, you already have a hatred for Austin before you even get to high school."

— zane.turner@decaturdaily.com or (256) 460-1272.