Stone Eby Finishes Special Year
These truly have been memorable times for former Flower Mound High School football star Stone Eby.
Last December, he and his Southern Methodist University teammates played in front of 115,000 people, and he caught a pass in the College Football Playoff. In August, he and longtime girlfriend Emma Gretzky welcomed a boy named Walter Boone. Yes, THAT Gretzky family, as she is the youngest child of hockey legend Wayne and his wife, actress Janet Jones.
Soon thereafter, he started his final year at SMU, where he has been a blocking tight end/fullback/special teams player, and most recently backup kicker. In November, he put that latter talent to good use by kicking two extra points – without a shoe. And by the time you read this, he may be engaged to Emma for what should prove to be a special wedding.
“It’s been fun and it’s been more than eventful,” the 22-year-old Stone said. “I’ve been very blessed.”
He met Emma, who came to SMU from California to play tennis, on the first day of school in their freshman year and began dating three years ago. They graduated in May with him earning a sports management/applied physiology degree and taking three nighttime graduate-level classes this semester. After SMU’s bowl game this season, he will go to Florida to train for a potential pro football career.
Before meeting Emma, he had no knowledge of her famous father.
“I called a buddy of mine and said, ‘who’s Gretzky?’” he said. “He said ‘you’re an idiot dude.’” I never went to a hockey game until she took me to my first one (a Dallas Stars game) our sophomore year of college. We probably go to five Stars’ game a year.”
When SMU’s initial top kicker left the program in mid-season, Stone moved to No. 2. With the Mustangs safely ahead Nov. 10 against Boston College, he was sent in to kick the team’s final extra point. Two weeks later in his final home game, he did it against Louisville.
“I’ve always felt kicking barefoot was a better feel for me,” he said. “I can kick it further as well. At least that’s what I like to think.”
Stone comes from football royalty as his great grandfather James (Jay) Mercer played three years at Oregon State University and was a member of the National Football League New York Giants before getting hurt. His father Heath was a barefoot kicker in high school.
Besides football, Stone played basketball, baseball, and soccer at Flower Mound but focused on football his final two years because of Covid-19.
“Those are the best years of your life,” he said. “No obligations. You show up and play football with all your buddies. You get to go home. I just played with a group of guys who loved the game sometimes more than kids at the next level which is kind of crazy.”
Pandemic restrictions allowed for only virtual college visits in 2020-2021 so he chose SMU over Georgia Tech, Duke, Washington State, and Baylor because of its proximity to home.
“At the next level you are surrounded by guys who have the God-given ability to play this sport,” he said “Sometimes they just play because they are good at it. At the high school level, you are around kids who love to play because that’s what they actually like to do.”
Stone admits that transition prompted him to lose the love of football some his freshman year. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder played defensive line his first two years then switched when playing at 300 pounds didn’t work for his body style.
“Once I figured that was my role, I bought into it,” he said. “To make blocks for my teammates so they can get through. Whenever I pancake somebody, knock them down, that’s the highlight of my life. I know my role and I’m happy to do what I get to do.”
He has appeared in every game since. In his second game in 2023, he caught a touchdown pass against the University of Oklahoma.
“SMU has been very, very good to me,” he said. “It started challenging with all the position changes but has become the biggest blessing in my life.”
