Brock Zerger didn't have to travel far to find the place that would shape him. The senior health and physical education major from Derby, Kan. has spent his college career just 20 minutes from home, building something special with Friends University Football while his family cheered from the stands.

"Being able to win it in my home area has definitely meant a lot to me," Zerger said. "Having so many local guys on the team that I played with or against in high school makes it cool to all come together as a Wichita area and win championships."

Staying close to home has also meant his support system is never far away. "Having my family come out to all the games and support me—sometimes I take it for granted," he said. "But having them along the journey has definitely made it super special."

Choosing Friends University was about more than proximity. Zerger saw something in the program's future that matched his own ambitions. "The proximity to home made it appealing, but I also saw the vision that Coach Harrison had," he said. "I committed when they were coming off a 4-7 season, but I saw the trajectory of the program and the success he had at his previous school. I just liked the way the program was going and knew good things were to come."

A Team Built at Home

For Zerger, playing close to Derby has meant competing alongside familiar faces from across the Wichita area. That sense of community has fueled the Falcons' rise. "There are so many people who have made a tremendous impact on me," he said. "Coaches, teammates, professors, all the way to the administration."

One mentor stands out: defensive coordinator Nolan Ewing. "I played with him my freshman and sophomore year," Zerger said. "When I got moved to defensive back, he took me under his wing and showed me how to be a leader and how to play the position. Now he's come back as a coach, and it's all come full circle. Being able to learn from him and go to battle with him in a different way is a big reason he's had such an impact on me."

Finding his Role 

Zerger's path wasn't linear. He arrived as a quarterback but found his stride elsewhere. "I came in as a quarterback and thought I'd be a quarterback my whole time," he said. "We had a guy named K'Vonte Baker, and the coaches wanted to find ways to get me on the field sooner. They moved me to safety and put me on special teams my freshman year. It was a really smooth transition."

Veteran teammates helped him adjust. "Guys like Nolan, Braden Gordon, and Jacoby Smith made it seamless," Zerger said. "Learning from those older guys when I was an underclassman has helped me step into a leadership role today."

Leading the Standard

Now a senior, Zerger's goals are rooted in culture and consistency. "We always talk about having the best team culture in all of college football," he said. "Obviously we want to get back to the NAIA postseason and make another run, but we can't just focus on winning games. We have to take it day by day."

His philosophy is simple: do the little things right. "If we're good teammates, do our individual jobs, and embrace the culture we have, those goals will come," he said. "Individually, I just want to be as good of a leader and teammate as I can be—a role model to the younger guys. If I do my job and continue my leadership, all the personal goals I want will come."