Oklahoma State University Athletics
Behind the Scenes with Dave Hunziker
September 08, 2010 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 8, 2010
The week before a football game, athletes watch tape, practice drills and mentally get ready for the game ahead of them.
That same schedule could also apply to the "Voice of the Cowboys," Oklahoma State radio play-by-play announcer David Hunziker.
Although he doesn't wear pads or participate in practice, he studies tape, watches practice intently and learns everything he needs to know about the Cowboys' opponent. Hunziker starts preparing to call football games a week in advance.
"Usually Sunday afternoon I will start working on the next week's charts, but for the first game I start the week before because there is usually a lot more work to do," Hunziker said.
Hunziker doesn't take any time off for relaxation during the first part of the week because he is preparing charts with detailed descriptions of plays, players and coaches to help him better call the game.
"Monday I do a little chart work in the morning, get my spotter boards ready and I do Mike Gundy's news conference Monday morning," Hunziker said. "By the end of Monday I will start reading the news releases from the other teams and put in that information on the spotter charts."
On Tuesdays, Hunziker has a full schedule with more chart work, teaching his play-by-play class, watching practice and then doing his radio show with Coach Gundy.
"Wednesday is my big chart day. I usually spend three, four, or five hours just finishing those charts," he said. "Wednesday after practice we do interviews for the pregame show."
"The most stressful part of my week is probably Thursday because I have to watch tape, interview Gundy and then go to teach class," Hunziker said. "So I guess the busiest is the most stressful. But I don't think any of it is that stressful, I just have a plan and work the plan."
Things finally wind down for Hunziker on Fridays, and he gets to take a break.
"Friday is my relax day," he said. "I meet with coordinators on Friday morning, but Friday afternoon and Friday night I try to relax."
Game day is here, and Hunziker is up bright and early. He arrives at the stadium sometimes seven hours early to start preparation for the two-hour pregame show, but he is excited that Saturday has finally arrived.
"The adrenaline gets pumping when you get to the stadium on game day, but you have to make sure you have all your ducks in a row," he said. "It's not stressful, just nervousness."
Hunziker reports to the booth first to check in with his crew, and then he takes an unlikely trip if needed.
"I actually go take a Wal-Mart trip before the games just in case we forgot something," he said. "Little things like batteries that you wouldn't think are a big deal can become a big deal."
Although most of what Hunziker does on a game day is business, he tries to take time to enjoy the atmosphere of tailgating.
"I like to leave time to just stop and visit with people. It's fun to get to see friends that the only time you see them is in their same parking spot during a game day," he said. "Sometimes they offer really good food to eat, and we nibble on that, which is wonderful."
After socializing in the parking lot, it is back to business. Hunziker goes over the entire pregame show with color analyst John Holcomb to make sure everything is in order.
"That is when we pull out the road map of where everything goes," he said. "We walk through the two-hour pregame show so that we have a feel and a rhythm of how the show will flow and also how we are with time."
Hunziker says that sometimes things can get sticky if they aren't paying attention.
"Two hours may seem like a lot but if a couple of segments go long and you get off track, you have to make the adjustment immediately because the next thing you know you are coming out of commercial and they are kicking off and you haven't even said who is kicking off yet," he said.
Minutes before the game starts, the fans start to get rowdy and the team is getting pumped up, but Hunziker is still in the zone and focused on what is ahead.
"You can't help but get excited," he said. "There is kind of a rush that goes on, but until we are out of that last break all that is on my mind is time. There are a lot of things we do before that kickoff, like getting the coin toss and the last word with the coach. So there is excitement, but there are also a lot of chores still left to do so I am still pretty focused by then."
Bedlam is always a fan favorite game because of the rivalry, but as a graduate of Missouri, Hunziker also looks forward to that game as well.
"Bedlam is a lot of fun just because of the rivalry," he said. "When we play Missouri I have fun because it is my alma mater, and it is always fun to beat them. The Missouri thing is special because I have my sister, my whole family and all my college friends come, and it's the same when we go to Columbia. So Bedlam is fun for the rivalry, but Missouri is more personal enjoyment because I get to see all my friends."
Calling games is one of Hunziker's favorite things to do and he is really passionate about doing it. But his reasoning is simple -- it's because of the game.
"I just love games," Hunziker said. "You just can't beat a game, any game whether its football or a game of pool, it's just fun to watch."
