COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Heading into Maryland's game vs. Bowling Green on Sept. 12, no one started more consecutive games than junior offensive lineman Michael Dunn. Suiting up for his 28th consecutive start, the path to stardom for the Bethesda, Md., native has never been easy. 

A three-year starter at the University of Maryland, Dunn joined the football program as a walk-on. In fact, he did not start on the Walt Whitman High School varsity football team until his senior year and had few aspirations to play Division I football.

“Going into my senior year I wanted to go out there, have fun, and do well,” Dunn said. “I told my coach I just wanted to see what possibilities I had. I wasn't that interested in playing college football, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself.”

A few Division III schools recruited Dunn, but the most notable college offer came from Lehigh of the FCS. The car ride to his official visit at the Bethlehem, Pa., school would be one that would change his life.

“I got two phone calls,” Dunn said. “One from Paul Pasqualoni, the UConn offensive coordinator (at the time), and one from Tom Brattan, the former offensive line coach at Maryland. Coach Brattan told me that I had a serious chance of playing depending on how hard I worked and that the staff didn't look at walk-ons any different than scholarship players. Immediately I knew it was the place I had to be.”

Upon arrival in College Park, Dunn did not become a starter overnight. Undersized and lacking experience, the tackle struggled his freshman year and used it as a redshirt season.

“I had no real experience going up against somebody that was a Division I caliber player and when I got here I wasn't in the best of shape,” said Dunn. “My technique and fundamentals were nowhere near where they needed to be. I came in and immediately struggled.”

The initial struggle fueled Dunn to work even harder to reach his goal of being a starter. The spring of his freshman season was when Dunn's transformation really began to take effect.

“Towards the end of the season I was going against guys like A.J. Francis and Joe Vellano, eventual NFL defensive linemen, and having success against them,” Dunn said. “After winter break I put the time and effort into getting better and getting into good shape. I got to 280 pounds by spring ball when I was at 260 pounds heading into camp my freshman year. I was playing the best football of my life during spring ball.”

The spring and summer of 2013 paved the way for Dunn to have the opportunity to start for the Terrapins. Over the course of training camp, Dunn worked his way up on the depth chart. Before he knew it, he was rotating in on first team reps at guard.

“On the last day of training camp in 2013 they told me to go in for a series at guard,” Dunn said. “I had never played guard before but I knew all the plays so I was able to hold my own.”

Dunn did more than just hold his own. Filling in at right guard gave Dunn an immediate opportunity to help the team. With the switch to right guard came what Dunn calls “the happiest moment of his life”.

“Coach Edsall brought in all the guys that were competing for a spot and called my name to come see him in his office,” Dunn recalled with a smile. “The first thing he said was 'you're going to be the starting right guard against Florida International and we're going to put you on scholarship.' I couldn't focus as he kept taking. I had an opportunity very few people have: to be a four-year starter on the offensive line at the Division I level.”

Jump forward two years and here Michael Dunn sits as a redshirt junior and one of the leaders on the 2015 Maryland Football team. This year's offensive line is filled with young promising players that Dunn has taken under his wing.

“I know how difficult it is to be young and have to play on the offensive line,” Dunn said. “I tell them to keep their heads up. I tell them to just keep doing their thing and it will come.”

Mike Minter is one guy that Dunn likes to keep his eye on and give advice to during practice. The two Maryland natives have something in common: offensive lineman who worked their way from walk-ons to starters on scholarship.

“I talk to him every day and I can sense his excitement,” Dunn said. “It brings back memories of the exact same feelings I had. I'm really excited that I get to play next to him. It adds to the walk-on movement at Maryland. I always tell him: keep on going, keep on working.”

Just last week, five walk-ons were granted scholarship by Coach Edsall. Michael Dunn is proud of this and hopes the walk-on movement continues at Maryland for years to come. 

Another thing to be proud of: holding the most consecutive starts on the team.

“I'd like to get to 50 consecutive starts by the time I leave,” Dunn said. “Having the most consecutive starts for now, it's cool but it's still really far from where my expectations are and where I want to be as a player.”