Gunnar Gundy has played football for as long as he can remember. Now, he’s Emporia State’s newest face on the field. 

Gundy, who has played football since the age of seven or eight, is originally from Stillwater, Okla. Prior to transferring to ESU, Gundy played for Oklahoma State under his father and had a short stint at Ohio University. Part of the reason for Gundy’s transfer was opportunity. 

“It really just came down to, I have two seasons left and I don’t want to end my career without using all the hard work I’ve put into this my entire life,” he said. 

Going from barely seeing the field and getting limited snaps to the immediate role of quarterback has been an exciting transition for Gundy. However, the challenge of his transfer has been leaving his hometown community. 

“Most of my life was within those city limits, around my family and community; so being in a new place and building new relationships is something I’m adapting to,” he said. 

Gundy said his teammates and coaches have been really helpful in helping him adapt to Emporia. Playing for Coach Garin Higgins has been “awesome.” 

“He gave me the opportunity (of a starter) when he didn’t have to and he’s very generous for that,” said Gundy. 

Higgins and his coaching style also influenced Gundy’s decision to commit to ESU. 

“He tells you straight up the truth and he holds you to it, I respect that a lot about him. He always talks about the ‘blue collar mentality’ and he means it. He stands by what he says, he believes in this team, and you can tell how passionate he is about the game,” he said. “That’s what got me involved with him and wanting to come here, was seeing how much passion he has for the game.” 

Gundy’s own passion for the game is a driving force in the standards he holds for himself on the field. 

 “Just being loyal to this team,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like people initially want to assume transfers are here for different reasons and don’t truly buy in, but I want to be here and I’m excited to be a part of this team.” 

The pressure of the expectations as a student-athlete and quarterback are things Gundy knows are mentally and physically taxing. However, he often reminds himself that other college athletes are struggling in similar ways and that if they can do it, so can he. He shared the significance of how talking to a sports psychologist has been beneficial in unpacking his struggles.

“Just talking about it I think has been the most helpful thing,” Gundy said. 

The Hornets are set to go head-to-head with foe Pitt State on Saturday. Gundy says he and the team are aware Pitt State is a historically good team and coached really well, so going into the game they know it will be a challenge. However, he said the team is excited for the opportunity. 

“I’m in the locker room this week, I see everyone’s really excited and locked in. It’s a big challenge but a good one for us. We’re gonna go in there and trust our coaches, trust each other and run good offense. We’ll be tested this weekend to see what we can really do. I can’t wait,” he said. 

Gundy is excited to see what the future holds for the Hornets. 

“I’m excited to tap into what we can really do,” he said. “I think we have a lot of talent everywhere. Once we all figure it out, get into a groove and we all get on the same page, I think the sky’s the limit for us.”