Blake Grupe prepares to kick a field goal for the Indianapolis Colts

When you look at Indianapolis Colts kicker Blake Grupe on his team’s roster, his college is listed as Notre Dame. However, he believes a different school should be listed there: Arkansas State University.

“It’s kind of unfortunate that when you look at my name, it says Notre Dame, and I don’t necessarily love that because it’s pretty clear that I spent five years at Arkansas State and only one at Notre Dame,” Grupe said.

Before his senior year pit stop over in South Bend, Grupe was a part of the Red Wolves, playing football in Jonesboro from 2017 to 2021. 

Coming out of high school, A-State was the only Division I team that was willing to take a chance on him. That chance, however, gave them one of the greatest kickers that the football program has ever seen.

In his five years in Jonesboro, Grupe made his way to the top of the kicking record books, holding the all-time record at A-State for field goals made with 64 and standing twice in the top five for most in a single season with 19 and 20.

Even if it ended up as the only choice for him, Grupe made a home for himself during his time at A-State. He found his opportunities to grow and become a remarkable player during his time here. He said he credits much of his development to the people he met on campus.

Grupe said former A-State long snapper Seth Cottengim and punter Cody Grace are two of the most impactful people in his career so far. He said they helped him form the mentality he needed to make it to the NFL.

“Cody definitely taught me how to be a professional and how to take your body seriously (along) with a lot of things that come with being a college football player that I still utilize in the NFL,” Grupe said. 

He also said a few team assistants helped guide him on the right path to the league, specifically former A-State special teams quality coordinators Bobby Dodd and Kody Schexnayder.

Unfortunately for A-State, Grupe had the opportunity to play for one of the blue blood football programs and took it as the next path in his career. Up in the Midwest, he said it was a completely different environment that he found himself in.

He became part of a program with such a deep and rich background, built from historic traditions passed down generations. Grupe said Notre Dame was much different than A-State, but still found charm in the blossoming team back at Centennial Bank Stadium.

“That’s some of the things I enjoyed about both places, the tradition of Notre Dame and all of the people that care about Arkansas State, (along) with the traditions that are being built even to this day at that school and within that program,” Grupe said.

While in South Bend, Grupe made just as much of an impact as he did at A-State, ending his campaign there with 14 field goals made and going perfect on 49 extra point attempts.

Following his final collegiate season at Notre Dame in 2023, Grupe chose to take his shot at the big leagues. 

He was ultimately not selected in the draft, but still ended up getting his spot in the NFL, signing with the New Orleans Saints shortly after.

Grupe’s time in the Big Easy went well for the most part as he made 75 field goals on 94 attempts with only two extra point misses on 98 attempts. He went on to play with the team for two years before being cut in November 2025 following a rocky performance against the Atlanta Falcons, where he only made one out of three field goal kicks. 

He found himself back in Indiana in early December with the Colts, marking the most current chapter in his career. 

In his short time in Indy so far, he already has broken the franchise record for longest kicked field goal, smashing the previous distance of 58 yards with his own 60-yard bomb. He has yet to miss a field goal or extra point attempt and hopes to keep that streak alive going into the 2026-27 season.

While Grupe has moved on from Arkansas for the most part, he said he still cherishes the time he spent here. He said he loves both of his alma maters, but his heart is more in Jonesboro. He even made a pit stop through his old stomping grounds last month on a trip for the offseason. 

  “I’ve always told people that I claim both, but you know, I definitely am more of a Red Wolf just because I spent more time there,” Grupe said.

Grupe said he enjoys reminiscing about how much the program grew during his stay. He said he recalls experiencing the shift from the older football facilities to the more recent renovations. 

“I really feel like I got to see the place kind of change and transform, and grow alongside it,” Grupe said. 

During his time with the Saints, Grupe was lucky enough to have someone else on the team who could relate to these memories of his alma mater: former A-State linebacker DeMario Davis.

“For a few years, me and (Davis) were the only two Arkansas State Red Wolves in the league, so that was cool. We’ve had a few chats about what went on when he was there, some stories, and how they did things. And we’re always talking about the games and how they did that Saturday,” Grupe said. “So it’s cool to be able to connect with other guys that played at the same university and make those connections.”

Grupe has witnessed more A-State alumni join him in the big leagues and form a bond over their school pride. Some of those names include recent Super Bowl LX participants New England Patriots guard Mekhi Butler and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Courtney Jackson. Whether it was before or after the game, he said he would find time to meet with his fellow Red Wolves.

For the current A-State players who hope to join him in the league and share that Red Wolves brotherhood or for any A-State student with dreams for the stars, Grupe has a message. 

“Continue to enjoy the moments and continue to learn, and use everything that makes Jonesboro and Arkansas State great,” Grupe said. “Just run with it and continue to grow and be ready when your opportunity comes.”

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