Christopher Dunn: "I'm Getting In My Zone"

NC State kicker Christopher Dunn has been huge for the Pack this season, and he recently met with the media to discuss his play and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

Do kickers feel like they get in the zone?
I can't speak for all kickers. I feel like I'm getting in my zone this year a lot more than I have in the past. I feel like it's just about getting to a spot where you feel comfortable and confident in yourself and being able to go out there, each rep, whether it's an extra point, a 50, and just getting in that same mindset that you're going to make the kick straight down the middle.

What's the thrill of hitting a 53-yard kick?
It's hard to say; I'd relate it to the thrill of the onside kick. I'd say, I'd relate it to the 49 at Clemson, I'd relate it to every time I get to go out and kick in Carter Finley, honestly, and hear all the people cheer. 

It's an amazing feeling. The adrenaline rush, it's unmatched, and I'm just trying to soak up every moment I can with the year I have left. I don't know if this will be my last year playing or not, but I'm just trying to enjoy every moment that I have here left.

Did you think you might have one more field goal chance?
I didn't know.

Prepared for that or no?
Yeah, I was getting prepared. I told the guys on the sideline after the 53, I was like, "Look, we got one more field goal, let's go win this game. Let's not celebrate yet, we've got more work to do." We finished great, defense came through in the end, great play by Boykin, but just the whole team, especially after Devin had to sit out the rest of the game with Chambers going in. We had so many guys step up and just really perform to the level and the standard that we've set.

What did that specialist of-the-league honor mean?
First time I found out, I appreciate that. But no, I mean all the hard work, all the sacrifices and the investments that I've made from January 1st to now, I feel like that's the proof in the pudding that everything that I've gone and done, whether it's going to Florida, Wisconsin, going all over the country and competing with the best guys and getting the best training that I can, that's just validating the day-to-day grind that I've put in and just continuing to go one-for-one.

I feel like that's the proof, that's the reward, it's just getting that little simple pat on the back. It's an amazing feeling. I wouldn't want to do it with any other team and I'm grateful and I'm blessed that I was selected from, I think ACC and Groza.

When you make a field goal, your teammates really celebrate with you. What does that support mean to you?
It means everything. I love the guys on this team. The culture that we've built here at State over the last really two and a half years, I wouldn't change it for the world. I've been on a team where we won three or four games my sophomore year, and we had a lot of selfish guys back then, but I feel like everyone generally wants what's best -- not only for each player but for the team.

I feel like coach Doeren has just done an amazing job bringing guys in that support everyone wholeheartedly. We have guys in the two, the three, the four that are challenging the ones in a healthy way, and I feel like that's something that you don't find anywhere else in the country. And then I think other people have made comments as well, is that you go to our locker room, you go to our dining room, you go to the player’s lounge, everyone's interacting with each other, everyone loves each other and everyone's just trying to build everyone up and support each other to be at their best.

Did you ever realize how many field goals you made against Florida State in your career? Adding that up in your head?
Yeah, I knew. Looking back, I was like, freshman year, I think I had four and I had one or two sophomore year, so I knew this was a team that we'd match up well and get a lot of kicks in. So I just knew I needed to be ready whenever my name was called on and being able to go in and execute on each rep.

You go in the game to kick in Carter-Finley Stadium, they’re playing that song every single time. Did you ask for that or...
I did not. Actually, I started realizing that the last game, I've had three or four people come up, "I've been looking it up on YouTube." It's pretty sweet; I love it and [am] very grateful for that.

I mean, it's an awesome way to run out, too, but I get about halfway out and I don't hear it the rest of the way. I'm just trying to focus on kicking. And then, I feel like all the feelings and emotions can come out after the kick and celebrating with all the guys on the sideline. And really that's the reward, that's the excitement that I get from it.

Are you superstitious?
No, I think I've been blessed with the gift from God to kick, and I'm trying to use that and maximize that gift to the best of my abilities, and I feel like it's about the daily work that you put in. There are little things that I do do. I'm not going to say I'm superstitious, but there are little things that kickers like to get in a groove up and just keep that consistent, so maybe a little bit superstitious.

No. 32? Any significance from 32?
I was going to go with 30 [but] that was taken in high school, so I got 32 and I've just kept it ever since.

Is kicking indoors different?
There's no wind. I've played there twice before. There's a lot of crowd noise, a lot of people have said that before. I think they do the train horn, it's just going to echo, so nothing really changes. I've kicked on turf, they've got turf, the uprights are going to stay the same. If anything, there's no weather conditions that you have to worry about, so that's really the only thing that changes.

How much does it help to have Colin Smith taking kickoff duties this year too? Obviously I know you probably like to sometimes, especially when there's onside kicks.
Yeah, for sure. He's stepped up and he's taken a big role. Trent Gill did a good job with that and he's stepped up and every time his name's been called, he's done a great job. So it's been an asset to the team having him. I think the coaches really just want me to make field goals, so that's why they're holding me out of that.

Onside kicks, those are great moments, you don't have a big likelihood of getting the ball, but when you do the whole place goes wild so it's a great feeling too. If I get the opportunity, if we get a lead or if they want me to go in and show that I can hit touchbacks, I'd love to do that. But for now, with Colin doing it, he's executing it at an elite level, so I'm sure that's just going to keep him in.

You did the fake field goal, Dave Doeren said you hadn't been hit like that in a while.  Was he telling the truth? Have you ever been hit like that on it?
Well, it's not really my job to run the ball. Honestly, I want to help the team the most I can, but I feel like in that way it's just me going in and making field goals. We had it schemed up, we ran it a few times in practice, but like I said, I got banged up a little bit.

We're halfway through the year, everybody's banged up, though, so it is what it is, we can't look back, just got to move forward.

I was trying to remember the play. Did you try to put a hit on a guy or anything or...
No, I knew I was... I just tried to hold on the ball, just keep the ball.