Kurpis is a do-it-all player for the Houston County Bears and is one of the most versatile players in the state. It’s been a wonder where the athlete might take his talents and recently, the pondering ended.
Kurpis chose Georgia Southern to play at the next level.
“Georgia Southern is the right fit for me as it has the two majors I am strongly considering, Physical Therapy and an Education Degree,” said Kurpis. ”I want to pursue a career coaching football. I love the coaching staff and the entire community there as well. I love everything head coach Helton and special teams coach West are about as people and coaches. The energy and passion they bring is amazing. Also, the belief they have in me as a player is to come in and compete on day one and earn my way up. The campus is beautiful and has the bonus of not being too far from home.”
“I believe my versatility is the best attribute that I have and what completes me as a football player rather than a position. I can line up to run routes and catch, block anywhere on the field and run the football to eat up yards and points. I am listed as a position but I just like flying around and playing the game with the abilities that God blessed me with,” said Kurpis.
You may be wondering with all that Kurpis does on the gridiron what he will play at the next level. He details what position he will play and how the Eagles will work him into their team next year.
“I will be a long snapper at Georgia Southern. I definitely see myself being a day one competitor and working for the starting role making sure I execute snaps for Field Goals and punts and taking every opportunity to make tackles,” said Kurpis. “I definitely enjoyed seeing the football facilities and the stadium while on campus. The tree-lined walk on campus is also a beauty.”
Former USC coach Clay Helton has been doing a great job recruiting and has Georgia Southern having one of their better seasons. The Eagles are 5-2 and 3-0 in conference play. He is also making an impact on relationships with recruits.
“Coach Helton makes an effort to create a relationship with his players. He is an amazing guy and coach who brings tons of energy. He has established a culture of excellence and created a family bond among the team. He has a ton of faith in me as a player and is a great person to be around,” said Kurpis.
You may remember that Kurpis had a breakout performance in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic where he rushed for five touchdowns for the Bears. Houston County just dropped a game to Coffee but remains a top contender in 5A.
“Houston County is having an amazing season. We have faced a roller coaster of emotions along the way with tons of adversity. The biggest thing we have focused on as a team is battling adversity,” said Kurpis. “We faced some adversity in our loss to Warner Robins. It was a heartbreaker but the wake-up call we needed. We have come together as one unit to battle and grind it out working to be the best team we can be.”
You have to give a lot of credit to the coaching staff and especially head coach Jeremy Edwards for the way they use Kurpis to the best of his ability. It has in turn landed him at the D1 level and with a college scholarship. Kurpis revealed what coach Edwards means to him.
“Coach Edwards is the most impactful coach I have ever had in my life. I am blessed to have him as my head coach and mentor. From the very start of my sophomore year when he came in he immediately held me to a high standard, and that has always been the expectation for me,” said Kurpis. “He is a coach that has 1000% faith in me and does not mind at all pushing me to get going at a 5 am practice. He puts so much time and effort into me and my craft and has helped me be the man I am today. He has taught me many life lessons that will carry on forever and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
It’s been a great story for Kurpis who was an underrated and overlooked prospect but continued to perform at a high level and took advantage of his opportunities when they came his way. Kurpis is just getting started and is looking to finish the season strong with his Houston County teammates in pursuit of a state title.
“I have enjoyed being with my brothers one last time for my senior year. I have played with most of these guys for 7+ years and have gone through it all with them. There wouldn’t be anyone else I would rather do it with than them. I am forever grateful I get to do it one last time with my family,” said Kurpis. “The biggest thing I want to accomplish this season is to win a state championship with my brothers. I just want to be the best player and teammate I can be for my team to help us achieve our goal.”
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