UNION MILLS -- Like most brothers, Brady and Bryce Glisic get on each other's last nerve.
They argue. They instigate. They antagonize.
"On the practice field, they're like arch enemies," South Central coach Buzz Schoff said. "They're the first to start bickering with each other. It's always the other one's fault. Bryce snapped the ball low and Brady said get your snaps up. Two plays later, Brady goes to pitch the ball, he hits the kid in the knee, (Bryce says), hey, get your pitches up. It's just that, I've got to get you back. From my standpoint, I'm like, would you two just quit? You don't have to argue with each other. If they want to fight in practice, what do you do? Nobody wants to break up brothers."
All that said, don't let someone else go after one of them, as happened in the recent scrimmage, where a John Glenn player cheap-shot Brady, triggering an instant intervention by Bryce. It's not just the familial connection, it's the position connection, with Bryce, the Satellites center, snapping the ball every play to Brady, S.C.'s quarterback.
"In a game, they're the first ones to have each other's back, which is a good thing," Schoff said. "When the brother has an altercation in a game, you don't have to go say something, you let them handle it. All our kids are kind of like that in some regard because they're so close."
Just a year apart -- Brady's a senior and Bryce a junior -- the Glisics have played sports together all of their lives. Save for a brief period of time, Bryce has always been physically bigger. Brady's an angular 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, while Bryce is an admittedly 'beefy' 6-3, 240.
"He's still baby-faced," Brady said. "It's definitely brought us closer. We still fight the same amount, maybe even more, on the field, because we're brothers. If I get a bad snap, it's not going to be good for him. If he messes up, it's completely different than if anybody else messes up because I can yell at him even more. Do I overdo it sometimes? Yes. It's a lot of fun actually, knowing the guy you have to trust snapping the ball and start the play every time, knowing you can trust him on the field and even off the field, it's really reassuring."
If it wasn't for some outside coaxing, it might not have panned out like it did. Bryce wasn't going to play football as a freshman, but teammate Jacob Oehmen's persistence paid off.
"I didn't play my eighth grade year," Bryce said. "I just never really liked it. We came back the first day of school, Oehmen said, come out. He kept nagging me. He wouldn't shut up. I was like, OK, I'll have a ride home, I might as well go, so I went. Now I love the sport."
Brady Glisic, left, is South Central's quarterback. His younger (but bigger) brother Bryce is the center. (Photo by Jim Peters)
Jacob played tight end that season, but was asked if he could snap last season, The move to center followed, deepening the brotherly bond with Brady, who was taking over as varsity quarterback with the graduation of Kyle Schmack.
"We're definitely closer, not just off the field," Bryce said. "I'm the line guy, I know everyone's blocking on the line. I stick up for the linemen. When we do it right, I say I think we did it right and that's your fault. He's got the backs, the wide outs. We talk about that kind of stuff, it helps me to know where the ball's going on a run and a pass. Once I get that, I give that to all the linemen, and it helps them. I think it helps the whole team."
Now if Bryce wasn't good at his craft, it would be a different story, but his proficient snapping skills -- he cones the ball rather than the traditional center hand grip -- have made it a seamless transition.
"He's really good. It's why he's the center," Brady said. "The way he holds it, the way it comes through, it's got a certain spin. I like it how he puts the laces in the same spot almost every time, so it's in my hands, right in my chest. If he misses, it's left or right, but in the same area. He's very consistent."
There is one unspoken rule that comes with the Glisic's center-quarterback relationship.
"Brady gave me one instruction and Bryce kind of gave me the same," Schoff said. "We're not going under center. I was like, OK, I get it. That's the only thing they had a problem with."
With the rules changing on intentional spike plays to allow quarterback to down the ball out of the shotgun, it's no longer an issue since S.C. runs everything out of the formation.
"I'm never under center because he is my brother," Brady said. "That's the sole reason. If he messes up, he'll know when I'm under center."
You won't hear Bryce complaining.
"If he's under center, he can do whatever he wants," Bryce said. "I was worried about maybe getting tipped over in practice. I've gotten plenty of (footballs) to the back, the butt."
Brian Glisic, the boys' dad, is the Satellites' offensive coordinator, completing the family trifecta.
"They run a play and if (Brian) wants to see it again, they're like, what are we doing?," Schoff said. "They mesh well. They're a year apart, so they have that friendship, too. They have the same group of friends. They have that bond, so they're not only brothers, but they're also pretty close friends. They don't have that big rivalry. Those two are the leaders of the bunch. Whatever those two are going to do, if Bryce is goofing around, everybody is goofing around. If he's serious, everyone's serious. It's the same way with Brady. If they're doing it, I can do it. It's because of their roles on the team. The center is the leader of the line, the quarterback is the leader of the team. I tell them, nothing starts without either one of you."
While the two also play baseball together, both are keenly aware of what the football season means to them.
"He might be my big brother at heart, but he's really my little brother," Brady said. "He'll be like, nice block, way to get your block. If he makes a big play, a big run, I go give him a high five, (say) way to go, kid. I've been waiting for this season. I'm excited for my senior season but this one could be more special to me. We could have a better team. It's our last ride, last dance. You get on that field, pour your heart out in that game, it's just great."
Brady wants to play football in college and if he does, he knows it will come with an assist from Bryce.
"I've just got to work on getting my name out," Brady said. "He's giving me a chance. It's going to make the last one a lot more memorable, having him at center, knowing this is it. It's literally my last chance to play sports with him, then we're done."