Curtis D. Enis (born June 15, 1976) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons. He played college football for Penn State University, and earned All-American honors. Enis was a first-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears.

Early years[link]

Enis was born in Union City, Ohio. He attended Mississinawa Valley High School in Union City, where he was named a Parade magazine high school All-American, and voted Ohio's Mr. Football Award by the Associated Press. He was a three-time all-state selection at linebacker, and Most Valuable Player of the 1994 Big 33 Football Classic. He spent one year at The Kiski School in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania.

College career[link]

Enis attended Pennsylvania State University, where he majored in recreational management and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1995 to 1997. Following his junior season in 1997, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American. His college career was cut short by a gift acceptance scandal that cost him his final season of NCAA eligibility.^[1]

His rushing stats at Penn State were:

• 1995–113 attempts, 683 yards, 4 Touchdowns
• 1996-224 Attempts, 1210 yards, 13 Touchdowns
• 1997-228 attempts, 1363 yards, 19 Touchdowns

Professional career[link]

Enis played 36 games in a three year span, accumulating just 1,497 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. He retired at the age of 24 in 2001 due to a degenerative condition in his left knee.

Post-playing career[link]

In a Sports Illustrated article Enis spoke about his conversion to pentecostal Christianity and his relationship with the controversial organization Champions for Christ.^[2]

He went on to attend the Ohio Basic Peace Officer Academy through a joint program between Edison State Community College and the Miami County Sheriffs Office. He worked as a Miami County Deputy Sheriff for two years before being fired amidst accusations that he solicited sex from a convenience store employee while in uniform.^[3] No criminal charges were filed and the dismissal was sent to an arbitration hearing in January 2010.^[3]

In 2009 Enis began volunteering with the sports teams at Bradford High School in Bradford, Ohio. He coached junior high basketball and track and field and coached the running backs on the varsity football team.^[3] He applied for the head football coach position when it opened up in April 2010, and was hired that summer.^[4] Enis’s hiring became controversial when the 25-page report from his arbitration with the Miami County Sheriffs Office was leaked anonymously to the Bradford Exempted Village Schools district and the Ohio High School Athletic Association.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Curtis Enis

• Curtis Enis article at www.bearshistory.com