Alabama quarterback Jake Coker is preparing for the biggest game of his life against Michigan State on Thursday, but his brother Patrick Brown prepares for the big-time every day by bombing ISIS for the United States Air Force.
Brown is a captain in the USAF, and he flies the legendary A-10 Warthog fighter. Thursday night, Coker will take the field against Spartans, and Brown hopes to be able to catch the game from the Middle East — if he isn’t busy destroying members of ISIS, according to a USA Today report.
The bond between the two brothers is strong. Brown was the first person to put a football into the hands of Coker, and he was the person Coker relied on after failing to earn the starting job at Florida State and then last year at Alabama.
Coker last saw his brother in October after Alabama thrashed Georgia, but from the sound of it Brown’s departure wasn’t overly emotional. (RELATED: Salute The Troops: Ronda Rousey Says Yes To Marine That Asked Her To Marine Corps Ball [VIDEO])
“You know, you always run the risk of getting into an emotional situation there. I gave him a hug and told him I’ll be watching, and he said be careful and all that normal stuff, and we went our separate ways,” Brown told USA Today.
Coker realizes that while playing quarterback can be tough it’s a lot tougher to be in Brown’s position. That is all the more reason why the Alabama quarterback looks up to his brother.
“He’s one of the main people in my life that I work so hard to emulate,” he told USA Today. “He’s really been a big part in making me who I am just by giving me a great example of what a man should be.”
“To me, he does everything the right way, and if there’s ever been an obstacle in front of him, he’s found a way to overcome it through just working hard and doing the right thing, and to me that means so much and it’s inspired me to do what I’ve done this year and I’m just real proud of what he is.”
Brown, who is currently stationed at a base in Turkey, responded with the humility often seen in American troops. “I certainly don’t feel like a hero by any means. I’m just doing my job and that’s that. But at the same time, I have always tried to be a role model for my younger siblings.” (RELATED: Soldier Asks J.J. Watt To Military Ball [VIDEO])
It’s unclear if Alabama has enough in the tank to beat Michigan State, but it’s crystal clear that Coker’s family bond runs much deeper than just football. (RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About The College Football Bowl Games [SLIDESHOW])