Story and Photo by Joanna Chavez (@chavez80207) – Spear Reporter
For Quali Conley and Imari Conley, football is more than a game, it’s a lifelong passion built off of family.
The Conley brothers assumed they would never play on the same field together again after their paths had diverged.
“I went to a small D1 school. So I’m like, ‘Oh, my brother would do better than me,’” Quali Conley said. “But when I got the chance and an opportunity to transfer schools, I thought ‘I want the chance to play with my brother. I want to play again at the next level.’”
Growing up, the brothers were put into multiple different sports in hopes that they would find one that resonated with them. From track to basketball, they learned the skills that they would need to elevate themselves as athletes. However, it was football that ultimately captured the brothers’ attention.
Being the older of the two, Quali Conley began his football career as a wide receiver at Central High School in Fresno. He played in this role until the summer of his junior year when football coach Kyle Biggs offered up a new position.
“One day at practice, we needed a scout running back and he just jumped in and started making some carries against our first team defense,” Biggs said. “And he looked really good and we’re like, ‘You know what, let’s take a look at him as a running back.’”
This change resulted in a total of 32 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns during his junior and senior years.
“It was a no-brainer to make him our running back,” Biggs said. “He really just took off from there.”
While Quali Conley graduated and committed to Utah Tech University, Imari Conley continued at Central High School, where he played football and ran track and field.
“With Imari, I didn’t know if he wanted to do track or football after high school, because I know he really had a love for track and running,” Biggs said. “So I didn’t know if that was gonna interfere with what he wanted to do football-wise, but there was no doubt in my mind that they were going to do something after high school.”
The thought of playing together on the same team felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that the brothers could not pass up.
“I was already committed to Fresno State first and then Quali came to San Jose. So I was like, ‘I want to play with my brother again’,” Imari Conley said. “So I decommitted from Fresno State and committed here.”
This decision was solidified not only by the brothers but also by the support and encouragement of their parents.
“Our mom and dad actually wanted us to play together. And we had a lot of options with schools so we decided to play at the school that just stood out to us,” Quali Conley said. “I thought the football team here was more beneficial and I felt like it was really a team, a family and brotherhood.”
This shared experience played a pivotal role in the brothers’ growth as athletes. As Quali works on perfecting his game and hopes for a smooth season, Imari faces the challenges that arise from freshman year.
“It’s been an issue for me because I want to play, but it’s like me learning at the college level is different from high school,” Imari Conley said. “So me learning means I’m not playing and that’s gonna help me in the long run.”
Despite Imari being a freshman and not having consistent game time, Quali said that the best part of being on the same team again is seeing his game develop on the field.
“The best part is seeing him develop because he’s a freshman and I’m towards the end of my career. Just seeing him develop from high school to college then developing from freshman to sophomore while playing against him is just fun,” Quali Conley said. “Sometimes I tell my parents about how I beat him on this play and that he sucks, but it’s just like family competition between us.”
