David Gunn’s life changed forever after his freshman year at England High School in rural Arkansas.
He and several other players attended a national camp hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, thanks to England High School Head Football Coach Gaylon Gibbs and assistant coach Ron Hayes.
Even though Gunn grew up in the Church, he credits the decision he made at the FCA camp with changing his life.
“That’s where I became a Christian,” Gunn said. “That’s when I accepted Jesus as my savior.”
Gunn had known he wanted to be a head football coach since the seventh grade. He wanted to influence the lives of his players as much as his coaches had influenced him. Sports was one of the few outlets for Gunn and his six siblings.
“I played everything,” Gunn said. “There was no such thing as boredom.”
Gunn played football, basketball and competed in track at England High.
Sports taught him mental toughness, teamwork and a good work ethic – which he got a pretty good dose of growing up with a hard-working single mom, Sophie Gunn. His grandmother, Lillie Gunn, was the family matriarch who ruled the home with wisdom, love and discipline.
Gunn pursued his dream of playing collegiate football for the Razorbacks of Arkansas. While in school, he majored in biological sciences and physical education. After graduating from the University of Arkansas, he worked as an assistant coach at Watson Chapel High School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, under Head Football Coach Lonnie Sutton. Gunn coached at Watson Chapel for eight years where they won a state championship in 1996.
Gunn moved up the coaching ladder in 1997 and became the head football coach at John L. McClellan High School in Little Rock. His first job as a head football coach was no doubt a watershed moment in his life and development as a leader.
As a head coach, Gunn got the chance to impact young men in the same way his coaches impacted him.
“I wanted to win games as much as anyone else, but my utmost concern as a coach was always developing the person inside the player,” Gunn said.
He and several other players attended a national camp hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, thanks to England High School Head Football Coach Gaylon Gibbs and assistant coach Ron Hayes.
Even though Gunn grew up in the Church, he credits the decision he made at the FCA camp with changing his life.
“That’s where I became a Christian,” Gunn said. “That’s when I accepted Jesus as my savior.”
Gunn had known he wanted to be a head football coach since the seventh grade. He wanted to influence the lives of his players as much as his coaches had influenced him. Sports was one of the few outlets for Gunn and his six siblings.
“I played everything,” Gunn said. “There was no such thing as boredom.”
Gunn played football, basketball and competed in track at England High.
Sports taught him mental toughness, teamwork and a good work ethic – which he got a pretty good dose of growing up with a hard-working single mom, Sophie Gunn. His grandmother, Lillie Gunn, was the family matriarch who ruled the home with wisdom, love and discipline.
Gunn pursued his dream of playing collegiate football for the Razorbacks of Arkansas. While in school, he majored in biological sciences and physical education. After graduating from the University of Arkansas, he worked as an assistant coach at Watson Chapel High School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, under Head Football Coach Lonnie Sutton. Gunn coached at Watson Chapel for eight years where they won a state championship in 1996.
Gunn moved up the coaching ladder in 1997 and became the head football coach at John L. McClellan High School in Little Rock. His first job as a head football coach was no doubt a watershed moment in his life and development as a leader.
As a head coach, Gunn got the chance to impact young men in the same way his coaches impacted him.
“I wanted to win games as much as anyone else, but my utmost concern as a coach was always developing the person inside the player,” Gunn said.
While in Little Rock, the seeds for what eventually became his “Manhood” program were planted. Gunn attended a session of Robert Lewis’ Men’s Fraternity, a men’s ministry focused on developing authentic manhood. Men’s Fraternity went on to become a national movement. The program struck a chord with Gunn.
“It was the first time I heard a manhood definition that I could process,” Gunn said. “It planted the seed for the manhood definition I use today.”
In 2002, Gunn was hired by Head Coach Steve Roberts to be the running backs coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where he coached for 11 years and was part of three Sunbelt Conference championship teams. Gunn worked his way up to assistant head coach and even served as Interim Head Coach in the 2012 Go Daddy Bowl after Hugh Freeze left to become head coach at Ole Miss.
Gunn remained at Arkansas State to work for Gus Malzahn. He served as Malzahn’s assistant head coach for one year before following him to the Plains of Auburn, Alabama. At Auburn, Gunn served as Assistant Athletic Director for Football, where he served as the lead administrator for the program.
It was during this time that Gunn began teaching “Manhood,” a leadership/character development program for the team.
After a 30-year career in coaching, Gunn has stepped away from football to launch Project: MP3. The mission of Project: MP3 is to equip men from God’s word to become producers, providers and protectors for all within their sphere of influence.
While Gunn credits the countless young men he coached and coaches he worked with for helping develop the “Manhood” program, his wife and children have always been his ultimate inspiration.
Gunn has been married to his high school sweetheart, Aleachia Stephenson, for 35 years. The couple has two daughters, Tiffany and Bethany. Tiffany is married to Myron Frazier, and they have one son, Myron Frazier II (Deuce).
While Gunn credits the countless young men he coached and coaches he worked with for helping develop the “Manhood” program, his wife and children have always been his ultimate inspiration.
Gunn has been married to his high school sweetheart, Aleachia Stephenson, for 35 years. The couple has two daughters, Tiffany and Bethany. Tiffany is married to Myron Frazier, and they have one son, Myron Frazier II (Deuce).
