Northwestern University has never been known for football. It has produced a few professional players, and won a couple of bowl games. But on the national scale, “football” and “Northwestern” are not synonymous. Sophomore superback – the Northwestern equivalent of a fullback/tight end hybrid – Drake Dunsmore might be the one to change that.
Standing at about 6’3”, complete with muscular build, dark hair and an attractive smile, Dunsmore looks like that football player – the player all the girls want to date and all the guys want to be. But Dunsmore is far from stereotypical, and has had to overcome a great deal of obstacles to get where he is now.
As a freshman, Dunsmore was named to the The Sporting News’ All-Big Ten Freshman Team. He was one of two freshmen who actually played their first year and were not redshirted, catching 11 passes for 141 yards. Dunsmore made an impact on the team from the beginning, and was expected to contribute even more the following year.
Unfortunately for Dunsmore, he was bitten by the injury bug. Only five games into preseason practice, Dunsmore suffered a season-ending injury to his knee. But a redshirt year later, and now an academic junior, Dunsmore is back in shape and ready to play.
“I think that being around the guys helped me to get back. They don’t let you get down on yourself,” Dunsmore said.
Overall, he said that he thinks that he is back in the same shape that he was before the injury. One thing has changed though.
“I think that mentally, I’ve become a better player,” he said.
His physical and mental improvements are apparent and he has become one of quarterback Mike Kafka’s favorite targets. Dunsmore is second on the team with 28 catches through the first seven games and is good for third on the team with 295 receiving yards, adding a touchdown along the way. Rivals.com, a Web site that covers collegiate athletics, has him currently rated as the 23rd best tight end in the country.
Superbacks coach Bob Heffner says that he hopes Dunsmore will continue to improve.
“I tell everyone who asks me about Drake that he is a fine young man from a fine family. That makes coaching easier,” said Heffner. “He gets frustrated when he doesn’t do as well as he hopes to, and that’s the type of player I like. The kind who isn’t satisfied with not doing his best.”
In addition to being a dynamic football player, Dunsmore is a regular college student. He enjoys other activities too, such as going to the movies, which he tries to attend every Sunday.
Besides being a movie buff, he also likes to go downtown Chicago, being that it’s much different from his hometown of Lenexa, Kansas. While some players would have trouble adjusting to a different life and battling through injuries, Dunsmore’s drive is unmatched. Dunsmore is also colorblind, something few people know about him.
“The colors just get kind of jumbled up,” he said.
If there’s one color he does know, though, it’s the color of pigskin because Dunsmore is still a force on the field.