MONROE — Isaac Bunker, a Monroe senior offensive lineman this fall, has picked a 9-year plan for his post-high school life. On June 29, Bunker verbally committed to play football for the Naval Academy.
“I’m a Navy man now — beat Army,” Bunker said.
Last weekend Bunker and his father, Louie, took to trip to Annapolis, Maryland, the home of the Naval Academy. He said the facilities were the nicest he’d seen, and he connected with the coaching staff. Isaac said he talked with his father on the ride home, and then at 6:30 a.m. weight lifting with Golembiewski and Monroe assistant football coach Tom Witt, Bunker said he gauged their opinions.
“They’ve seen some things in life, and they’ve lived some of life already, so I listened to what they had to say — they said it was the best option for me,” Bunker said.
As a member of the Monroe football roster, Bunker has become a vocal and physical leader for the Cheesemakers. He said for the last few years he’s watched and learned from many seniors about how to go about their day-to-day training and preparation. Now that he’s the senior leader, it’s about getting players into the program and finding a way to connect with them and helping them find their inner drive.
On the field itself, he’s shown little hesitation in his game, and has taken a liking to being a pulling offensive lineman and barreling over defenders at all three levels.
“Navy runs a triple-wing, so I will fit right in. It’s a very similar system to Toby G’s offense,” Bunker said, referencing head coach Toby Golembiewski.
The Navy Midshipmen went 4-8 last season, but are two years removed from an 11-2 run in 2019 in which their only losses were against Memphis and Notre Dame. The program is run by head coach Ken Niumatalolo, with Ashley Ingram the Running Game Coordinator and interior offensive line coach, with Danny O’Rourke the Special Teams Coordinator and offensive tackle coach.
Navy is 105-75 in Niumatalolo’s 15-year tenure as head coach, with 10 winning seasons and 10 bowl games, which according to the team’s website makes it “one of the greatest eras in school history.” Niumatalolo is the program’s all-time wins leader as coach.
Bunker had been recruited by several programs already, and had received scholarship offers from seven schools, five Division I (North Dakota, North Dakota State, Lehigh, Montana and Navy), and two Division II (Minnesota State-Mankato and Southwest Minnesota State).
“I spent the last six months seeking to be a college man, and now I can go back to being a Cheesemaker,” he said.
He will spend four years playing football and finishing his education, then serve with the military branch for the next five years.
“The Navy commitment will have me set for the rest of my life,” Bunker said. “I get paid during those five years, healthcare, a pension ... Then when that commitment is done I could either keep serving or go into the civilian world with a degree from the best public school in the country.”
