Question 1: You had a lot of experience in a wide variety of coaching positions prior to coming to Monmouth. Why join the Hawks?
 
David Kunyz: Well there are so many reasons as to why I would want to join the Hawks, but for me it really came down to two main reasons. First, Monmouth is home for me. I grew up less than 10 minutes from campus, and I went to high school right down the road at Shore Regional. So when the opportunity came up to coach at Monmouth, I couldn't turn it down. I don't know too many people who are able to come back to their hometown and coach Division 1 football, so I was very thankful for the chance. The second, and most important reason why I joined the Hawks was because of the history and culture of the football program. Coach Callahan has done a great job building the program and it's continuing to grow year in and year out. I wanted to be part of the process and help take Monmouth Football to the next step. This past year we were able to win our first Big South Conference Championship, win our first FCS playoff game in school history and we were ranked 12^th nationally. I'm excited to see what come's next for both this program and university. 
 
Q2 What is the most fun/exciting gameday environment you've coached in during your career?
 
DK: I've been lucky to be a part of a lot of fun & exciting games throughout my career. Whether it's games that decide championships, rivalry games, or games that come down to the last drive, each one is great in its own way. Just in 2019 alone, there were a lot of fun & exciting games like the Kennesaw State game, winning the Big South Championship outright vs Hampton, winning a playoff game vs. Holy Cross or beating Wagner after Lonnie Moore breaks a tackle on 4^th& goal.  All those games were great, but the best game day environment I've been a part of has to be the Montana game this past season. Coaching in front of 23,000 people for the first time, is an experience I'll never forget. The stadium sits on a mountain and the field sits below ground level, so when you walk down the tunnel to the field, you can just hear the noise echoing throughout the entire stadium. What surprised me the most, was how close the stands were to the sideline. You had the coaches box, the players box, the benches and then the first row of stands. You couldn't walk behind the bench and the fans were literally on top of you standing and yelling the whole game. It got so loud during the game that our headsets cut out briefly. However, despite all the noise, the thing I'll remember most is how quiet it got when we scored a touchdown. There were times where you couldn't hear what the person next to you was saying, but as soon as the official signaled TD, you could hear a pin drop. Overall, it was a great environment to play a college football game. 
 
 
Q3 What is, in your opinion, the most important skill to have as a defensive lineman?
 
DK: For me, the most important skill for a defensive lineman is the ability to react quickly and violently. On each play, they have to first react to the snap of the football, then to the block of the offensive lineman in front of them, and finally the location of the football. The faster they are able to react to these things, the better position they put themselves in to be successful. However, just being in position isn't enough. We need guys who are going to set the tone for our defense and deliver a blow to the offensive lineman. They've got to be able to attack with their hands and play with their feet. We need guys who are able to knock offensive lineman back into the backfield and disrupt the rhythm and timing for the offense. They might not always be perfect in their technique, but if they can react quickly, play violent, and solve problems with aggression they will be successful.
 
Q4 Is there a game from the 2019 season where you felt the defensive line really had a huge impact on the game?
  
DK: I felt our defensive line did a great job this past year. We had 9 different players make significant contributions throughout the season and each one came up with big plays in key situations. I feel there's multiple games this year where our DL had a huge impact on the game, but there is one play in the Holy Cross game that sticks out to me the most. We started the game on offense and went three and out. We then brought on our punt team and Holy Cross ended up blocking the punt. They got the ball on our side of the 50 and then on their second play they ran the ball for 17 yards. At that point, their players had confidence and their team had a lot of momentum. Two plays later we were able to get to 3^rd and 4 on our 25 yard line and had an opportunity to force a field goal. On that 3^rd down, they dropped back to pass and Kurt Aumer came up with a huge sack for our defense. Although Kurt got the sack, Kahari Scarlett and Nick Shoemaker created the opportunity for him by getting pressure in the QB's face and forcing him to escape to where Kurt was rushing. After the sack, they ended up punting the football, and we were able to build a 23-0 lead.
 
 
Q5 What is the best thing to do on the Jersey Shore when you aren't coaching football? What about your favorite restaurant spot?
 
DK: There's really so much to do around here that it's hard to pick out a best or favorite thing. I enjoy spending the day at the beach, going to Monmouth Park, grilling outside or just going to grab food and drinks at any of the great restaurants. Some of my favorites are the Bistro in Red Bank, Tommy's in Sea Bright, Marina Grille in Belmar, and Asbury Ale House in Asbury Park. If I'm looking for pizza, I'm going to Nunzio's in Long Branch or if I want wings, I'll head to Jack's in Long Branch.
 
Kunyz, a native of nearby Oceanport, NJ, graduated in 2009 from Plymouth State University with a degree in mathematics. He played two seasons of defensive back at Fairleigh Dickenson University and holds a master's degree in educational technology.