Season Preview: Who will play quarterback for Emporia State football?
EMPORIA, KS. (KSNT) - Emporia State football brings back 10 of 11 starters from a bowl game win where the Hornets scored 55 points.
The one starter not returning: MIAA career passing touchdown leader Braden Gleason.
At MIAA Media Day Tuesday, the big question surrounding the program was who was going to take Gleason's place.
It looks like it will come down to one of three options.
Long-time Gleason backup Chase Ricke has been preparing to take over for some time now as he enters his redshirt senior campaign.
"One thing about Chase is he's been in our program and he understands our offense, and that's huge," Emporia State head football coach Garin Higgins said.
Daron Bryden comes to Emporia as a transfer after spending three seasons at FCS Stony Brook, where he threw for 1,340 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 career games.
"[Bryden] had 15 practices in the spring, I thought he got better as practice went," Higgins said.
Perhaps the most intriguing option is Gunnar Gundy, son of Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy. Gunnar transferred into Emporia State after playing three seasons under his father with the Cowboys.
"Think about the experience [Gunnar] has playing in big-time games," Higgins said. "He scored a touchdown in the bowl game they played, he has statistics."
Higgins made it clear that whoever gets the call week one will have to work to get it.
"We talk about earning everything," Higgins said, "within our football program."