Basically Brothers
Alex Semadeni
Jeremiah Earby and A’Marion McCoy have always been told they act like brothers. Growing up in the same neighborhood in the Bay Area, the two did everything together.
Their friendship started on a t-ball team coached by Jeremiah’s mother nearly 15 years ago, turning teammates into what family members describe as a “sibling-like relationship.” The duo became inseparable as kids.
It was soon apparent that both of them had a competitive drive. As they evolved into standout athletes, they turned that drive into a healthy outlet to push each other. If Jeremiah didn’t come to a football workout with a lot of energy, A’Marion was there to bring it out of him. If A’Marion wasn’t using the right technique, Jeremiah would correct him.
After spending their entire childhood together, A’Marion, a year older, was the first to leave, beginning his collegiate football career at Laney Junior College. A year later, Jeremiah would step foot on the campus of Cal for his freshman season. Though the cornerbacks started their collegiate careers in different places, they didn’t let the distance prevent them from pushing each other to improve their craft.
Now reunited as members of the Boise State football program, the duo hopes to take the field together as defensive backfield and channel their competitive outlook to a dominant performance in the secondary. And more importantly, add a successful football season to a long list of lifelong memories.
T-ball, Basketball and Football
The two officially met when they joined the same t-ball team when A’Marion was five and Jeremiah was four. Jeremiah’s mom, Yolanda, was the coach of the team. To A’Marion and Jeremiah, it feels like they’ve known each other their whole lives.
“Growing up we did everything together,” Jeremiah said. “He was my right-hand man. We were with each other all the time.”
That meant going to the same school together. It meant playing yard games after school together. It meant playing on the same teams together.
As the pair got closer, so too did the families. Yolanda had known Nikesha, A’Marion’s mom, since they were little, but the two got closer as their boys became difficult to separate from each other. The boys had an extensive friend group as children and the Earby and McCoy households became the two main hangout spots.
When A’Marion briefly moved, but was still enrolled in the same elementary school, Nikesha would drop him off at the Earby house so the two could hop on the bus to school together. As they grew older, A’Marion would join Jeremiah’s family on semi-regular trips to California’s Great America amusement park.
When left on their own, their time together usually evolved into a competition, with the two constantly jostling over whatever game was in front of them. What started at t-ball evolved onto the basketball court, and eventually onto the football field.
“Just playing with him has always been fun,” A’Marion said. “We’ve always been the same type of person and the same size. Everything was always the two of us.”
The two were routinely compared to each other, due to their similar build and athletic ability. That is, until Jeremiah briefly hit a growth spurt as a teenager.
“Growing up, we used to call them the ‘Wonder Twins,’” Nikesha said. “They were always the smallest ones on the team, and then all of a sudden Jeremiah got this growth spurt. Then you looked around and then A’Marion got it.”
The two families grew even closer chasing the two boys around all their events. And as they got closer, the sibling-like relationship between A'Marion and Jeremiah was impossible to miss.
“We’ve always said they have a brother-like relationship,” Yolanda said. “You’re always battling with your brother, trying to figure out who is the toughest, who is the fastest, all of that stuff. It’s been very competitive. It changed right around high school and they started to really push each other. They used that as their strength. Whatever it was, they were there supporting each other and pushing each other.”
As the pair moved into high school, McCoy, a grade older, gravitated towards basketball while Earby focused on football. McCoy’s court vision allowed him to excel on the hardwood, and he never had a problem getting to the basket. However, as his senior year came around, he realized he had a better chance of earning a scholarship on the school’s dominant football team. Menlo-Atherton High School was known for routinely sending football players to the collegiate level, so McCoy decided to join the team his senior season. McCoy figured his best chance was to play cornerback, a position that Earby excelled at.
McCoy knew he needed to shore up his technique – the countless hours playing backyard football with Earby wasn’t enough. Possessing a hungry work ethic, McCoy spent time fine tuning his technique and form with Earby to make sure he could succeed at that level.
“When A’Marion wanted to come back, he went to Jeremiah and began training with him,” Yolanda said. “He helped him get back into it. Jeremiah didn’t let him ever give up. It was a cool thought to see them come out for what we thought would be one last time together.”
That work paid off. Though he only played five games in high school due to the pandemic-shortened season, A’Marion impressed enough to earn a spot at Laney Junior College in Oakland.
Pushing Each Other Despite the Distance
Despite a busy schedule as a freshman student-athlete, A’Marion would still make time to drop by on Friday nights to catch Jeremiah’s senior season at Menlo-Atherton. When Jeremiah began playing at Cal for his freshman season, Nakisha would make the trip to Berkley when it didn’t conflict with A’Marion’s games.
Though Cal was only 20 minutes from Laney, the two saw each other less due to the time demands of student-athletes. But just because it got harder to see each other, it didn’t mean the two wouldn’t stop pushing each other.
The childhood friends devised a daily workout plan, consisting of 100 push-ups, 100 sit ups and 100 band pull-aparts. They would call each other while doing so, equally pushing each other but also using the time to catch up.
“We would call each other and work out together on the phone,” A’Marion said. “It helped us both make sure we were still giving it our all. We were just making sure we could be the best we could be and maximizing our opportunity. Not many people get this opportunity and we both didn’t want to waste it.”
Like clockwork, the consistent reps paid off. A’Marion had a dominant junior college career, notching six interceptions in two seasons before signing with Boise State. In his first year donning the Blue and Orange, A’Marion was named All-Mountain West Honorable Mention after recording a team-high three interceptions a year ago.
Jeremiah displayed a knack for making plays in his two seasons with the Golden Bears. He played in all 12 games as a freshman, earning All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention and College Football Network’s Freshman All-America Second Team in 2022. He ended up recording 62 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, including a 33-yard recovery for a touchdown against Oregon State as a freshman, in his two seasons at Cal.
Despite their close friendship, Jeremiah admits he didn’t know much about Boise State when he entered the transfer portal. He of course had heard of the famed blue field, and knew A’Marion had raved about the Broncos’ blue-collar culture during their numerous calls. He got to see it for himself when he first arrived in the Treasure Valley on his visit.
“A’Marion had preached to me about the culture before,” Jeremiah said. “I found out right away that they are a tight-knit group when I came on the visit. I could tell it was really family-oriented. I got to learn how they run their system and a lot of our conversations were straight to the point and hard-nosed. And seeing the blue field was really cool as well.”
Jeremiah fielded a lot of interest in the portal, and did his due diligence on each program. A’Marion offered insight into the Boise State program, expanding on their previous conversations on the culture under head coach Spencer Danielson. But despite a desire to want his best friend in the Gem State, he let Jeremiah make his own decision.
“I told him we would be good and win games,” A'Marion said. “I talked to him about the great culture, the great atmosphere and how great our fans are. The people in the city are great. But ultimately, I let him venture off and do his own thing. There were a lot of opportunities out there for sure. He had to pick what was best for him. Towards the end when his list got narrowed down, I got on him a little bit. But really he knows what is best for him so I just let him do this thing.”
Jeremiah said that the familial aspect, along with the opportunity to play with his lifelong friend, ultimately led him to choosing Boise State.
“When I got up here, it felt more like home than any place I’d been,” Jeremiah said. “It was my first time coming out here and everyone was really nice and genuine.”
Thank God. Go Broncos. ???? #Committed pic.twitter.com/YIF44iCYit
— Jeremiah Earby (@JEarby_7) January 5, 2024
A’Marion was ecstatic that Jeremiah joined the program. The band was back together.
“I felt like him coming here was the best fit for him personally,” A’Marion said. “He could grind here and I could stay on top of him and he could stay on top of me. We knew what we could do if he came here and eventually he did.”
Back home, the news spread quickly when Jeremiah made his decision.
“The whole family is excited,” Yolanda said. “Our phone was blowing up when he announced he was going to Boise State. Everyone was excited that he was going to be playing with A’Marion. Football is taking too long to get started.”
One Last Ride
Living in the same town again, the duo decided to move in together. A’Marion utilized the close quarters to help Jeremiah learn the playbook in the spring, and the duo continued to push each other. Soon after moving in together, the pair increased their daily workouts from 100 reps to 200.
“We’re doing things together that I would have trouble doing by myself some days,” A’Marion said. “When there are days where I don’t have the energy, he stays on top of me. He critiques my technique and is always pushing me. He knows how to get me going. Especially in the spring and summer, we got on each other a lot. We’re elevating our game which is great.”
The pair’s mentality perfectly fits the blue-collar culture that Boise State embodies. Since joining the program, Jeremiah has fit in seamlessly with the collective group’s work ethic. He has been particularly impressed with the leadership from the players, praising the accountability that is demanded from guys like Ahmed Hassanein, Markel Reed, Alexander Teubner and Zion Washington.
“The leadership that they have here is impressive,” Jeremiah said. “You can tell who the leaders are and who is pushing the program along. They help keep the blue-collar mentality going.”
Nikesha and Yolanda are ecstatic to have their sons playing together again. The two have remained close, talking nearly every day and have already planned some trips to see them in the fall. Nikesha has made it a point to not miss a single game of A'Marion's senior season, while Yolanda has already planned to bring along a lot of family members to the Broncos' home opener against Portland State on Sept. 21.
“I’m excited,” Nikesha said. “I cannot wait for the season to start. I’m glad Jeremiah picked to go to Boise. Their journey is amazing together. They balance each other really well. It’s a good thing that they’re going to be up there together.”
Jeremiah comes to Boise State with high expectations for himself. Knowing the talent in the defensive back room, he planned to come in with high energy and a desire to push whoever he was competing against, just like he has with McCoy his entire life. As the season quickly approaches, Earby is eager to showcase his talents to Bronco Nation.
“I’m excited,” Jeremiah said. “I love the coaches and love the players. I’m ready to go out for them and play for them any day at any time. I know our side has some big goals, but with the defense we have we can definitely achieve them. I want to play a part in that. I want to have a big season for myself. I have a high bar for myself.”
A'Marion agrees, and hopes that Jeremiah helps bring out the best version of himself as he prepares to enter into his final season with the Broncos.
“We haven’t played football together since my senior year when we played five games together,” A’Marion said. “To see us playing and competing at a higher level together is great to see. I’m really excited to see what we can do this year, as a backend, as a team and as a defense. I’m happy to see him out there on the other side of me some games. We’re happy to go compete together and hopefully make some pretty cool memories in the process.”