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Nate Hybl

Nate Hybl (born June 19, 1979) is an American entrepreneur and former professional football quarterback, best known for his college career as the starting quarterback for the University of Oklahoma Sooners from 2001 to 2002 and his founding of the healthy fast-casual restaurant chain gusto! in 2014. Hybl began his football journey at Jeff Davis High School in Hazlehurst, Georgia, before transferring to the University of Georgia as a redshirt freshman in 1998 and then to the University of Oklahoma in 1999. At Oklahoma, he backed up Josh Heupel in 2000 before becoming the starter in 2001, where he passed for 2,234 yards and 14 touchdowns amid a challenging season marked by 13 interceptions. In 2002, Hybl led the Sooners to a 12-2 record, throwing for 2,538 yards and 24 touchdowns with only eight interceptions, earning him the Most Valuable Player award in the 2003 Rose Bowl victory over Washington State—the only Oklahoma player to receive that honor. His college tenure included a Big 12 Conference championship and a 2-0 bowl record as a starter, though the Sooners fell short of the national championship. After going undrafted in the , Hybl signed as a with the , appearing in no regular-season games during his brief professional stint, which also included time with the and the team in 2004. Retiring from football without significant earnings, Hybl pivoted to the restaurant industry, working in four Atlanta establishments from 2009 to 2013 to gain experience in healthy eating concepts inspired by his athletic background. In October 2014, he raised $600,000 and opened the first gusto! location on Peachtree Road in , focusing on fresh, globally inspired bowls, wraps, and salads to address the city's limited healthy fast-casual options. By 2024, gusto! had expanded to 14 locations in and around , including sites in and , celebrating its 10th anniversary with a mission to provide life-giving food and foster a people-first culture among employees and the community. The location closed in March 2025; as of 2025, gusto! operates 13 locations.

Early life

High school career

Nate Hybl attended Jeff Davis High School in , graduating early in January 1998 after starting there in the fall of 1994. As the starting for the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets, Hybl amassed over 3,600 passing yards and 38 touchdowns during his high school career, earning recognition as one of the top prospects in . His performance led to recruitment by major college programs, culminating in his enrollment at the . In 2018, Hybl was inducted into the Jeff Davis High School Football Hall of Fame for his contributions. Hybl also excelled in golf at Jeff Davis, where he was named the 1997 Golfer of the Year in Middle Georgia, playing frequently at the local to hone his skills alongside his brother. This dual-sport prowess contributed to his well-rounded athletic profile during his formative years.

Family background

Nate Hybl was born on June 19, 1979, in , a small town in Jeff Davis County with a population of around 3,700 that embodies the close-knit, community-oriented ethos of rural Southern life. Growing up in this environment, Hybl was immersed in a culture that placed strong emphasis on athletics as a central part of local identity and youth development, with high school sports serving as a key social and communal activity. Hybl's family played a pivotal role in shaping his early interests, consisting of his parents, Tom and Cheryl Hybl, and his younger brother, Ryan. His father, Tom Hybl, was a high school football coach who moved the family to Hazlehurst when Nate was in second grade and later took the head coaching position at Jeff Davis High School, where he directly influenced his son's involvement in the sport. The family also had deep roots in golf, with Tom introducing both sons to the game at a young age, fostering a household tradition that initially positioned Nate as a promising golfer in the eyes of locals. This parental encouragement extended to supporting Nate's participation in both football and golf through local youth leagues and family outings, providing a foundation that contributed to his later athletic success in high school.

College career

University of Georgia

Hybl enrolled at the in 1998 as a , following a standout high school career that drew recruitment interest from multiple programs. During his year in 1998, Hybl redshirted and did not participate in any games, focusing instead on learning the Bulldogs' offensive system while positioned behind established quarterbacks, including starter . In addition to football, Hybl competed on the Georgia Bulldogs golf team, serving as a roster member during the 1999 spring season; although he did not secure a starting spot, the team won its first NCAA national championship that year. Facing limited opportunities for playing time in football after his redshirt year, Hybl transferred to the University of Oklahoma in the summer of 1999.

University of Oklahoma

Nate Hybl transferred to the from the in the summer of 1999 after redshirting his freshman season there. Per NCAA transfer rules for athletes switching schools, he was ineligible to play and sat out the entire 1999 season while practicing with the team. In 2000, Hybl served as the backup quarterback to starter on a Sooners squad that went 13-0 and won the with a 13-2 victory over Florida State in the . He appeared in five games, completing 9 of 16 passes for 144 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, a 56.3% completion rate, while contributing minimally on the ground with 3 rushes for -5 yards. His limited role helped preserve the team's undefeated run without him starting a game. Hybl claimed the starting quarterback position in 2001 as a junior, leading Oklahoma to an 11-2 overall record (6-2 in Big 12 play, second in the South Division) and a spot in the Cotton Bowl Classic. He passed for 2,234 yards and 14 touchdowns against 13 interceptions on 222 completions out of 380 attempts (58.4% completion percentage), adding 74 rushes for 46 yards and 3 scores. In the Cotton Bowl, a defensive-dominated 10-3 win over Arkansas on January 1, 2002, Hybl went 24-for-32 for 175 yards and provided the game's lone touchdown via a one-yard quarterback sneak. As a senior in 2002, Hybl started all 14 games and directed the Sooners to a 12-2 record (6-2 in conference), including a 29-7 Big 12 Championship Game victory over Colorado and a berth in the Rose Bowl. His season stats included 2,538 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions on 209-of-363 passing (57.6% completion), plus 63 rushes for -54 yards and 1 touchdown. In the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003, Oklahoma defeated Washington State 34-14, with Hybl earning MVP honors for completing 19 of 29 passes for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. Across his full career at from 2000 to 2002, Hybl accumulated 4,916 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions on 440 completions from 759 attempts. He went 2-0 as the starting in bowl games, showcasing efficiency in high-stakes matchups despite not winning individual conference offensive honors.

Professional career

NFL stints

After graduating from the in 2003, Nate Hybl went undrafted in the but signed with the as an undrafted free agent that April. He was waived in August prior to the regular season and then signed to the Browns' on September 1, 2003. On September 27, Hybl was promoted to the active roster amid injuries to other quarterbacks, where he served as the third-string option behind and for the remainder of the season. Despite being elevated, Hybl did not appear in any regular-season games during his time with . Hybl was waived by in early 2004. He signed with the on March 4, 2005, was waived on August 27, 2005, and then joined their on November 29, 2005. He was released shortly thereafter without advancing to the active roster or seeing regular-season game action. Over his brief career, Hybl recorded no regular-season statistics, including 0 passing attempts, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and 0 rushing yards.

NFL Europe

Following his initial signing with the as an undrafted free agent, Nate Hybl was allocated by the team to the of on March 3, 2004, as part of the league's player development program. Hybl earned the starting role for the Claymores' season opener under head coach . In the 2004 NFL Europe campaign, he appeared in multiple games, completing 76 of 131 pass attempts for 654 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, while posting a of 66.8; his contributions helped anchor the offense for a team that finished with a 2–8 record. NFL Europe functioned primarily as a developmental league, providing fringe players like Hybl with international playing experience in front of crowds and a platform to refine skills away from domestic competition pressures. This stint offered Hybl valuable game action to showcase his abilities to scouts during the spring season. Hybl was released by on August 30, 2004, shortly after the conclusion of the regular season.

Later career

Business ventures

After retiring from professional football, Nate Hybl took on an early entrepreneurial role in 2009 as a minority owner of an intelligence systems company based in . In 2014, Hybl founded gusto!, a healthy fast-casual specializing in fresh bowls and wraps, drawing inspiration from his post-NFL struggles to find quick, nutritious meal options during his playing days. By 2025, gusto! had expanded to 14 corporate-owned locations across , marking its 11th anniversary on November 1, 2025, with promotions emphasizing community gratitude and future growth plans, including potential regional expansion through brick-and-mortar sites, ghost kitchens, and airport outposts. The brand prioritizes conscious capitalism principles, focusing on employee initiatives, such as team-building programs and wellness support, alongside global-inspired menus sourced from local suppliers to ensure freshness and . Hybl has emerged as a on cultivating conscious culture in business, delivering talks at Conscious Capitalism events, including a 2025 session on embracing challenges to build values-driven teams. The company employs over 350 people and emphasizes a supportive environment. Hybl often draws parallels between his NFL experience—particularly lessons in leadership under pressure and disciplined execution—and the strategies that have driven gusto!'s success, applying athletic resilience to entrepreneurial challenges like scaling operations and fostering team loyalty.

Personal life

Nate Hybl has resided in Atlanta, Georgia, since 2007, where he moved following the conclusion of his professional football career to pursue business opportunities. He married Stephanie Simon, a former player, in April 2007 in . The couple maintains a private family life with no children mentioned in public records, prioritizing work-life balance amid Hybl's post-retirement pursuits. Hybl has sustained a personal interest in health and fitness after retiring from , incorporating regular walking and exercise into his routine to support overall well-being. His background in , where he was a standout player during high school and college—including contributing to the —remains a family passion, with his younger brother Ryan serving as head coach of the men's team. Hybl occasionally engages in the sport recreationally, reflecting his Southern roots in . In , Hybl has been involved in community initiatives, supporting local causes related to youth , teachers, and through philanthropic efforts. These activities underscore his commitment to giving back to the metro area where he has built his post-athletic life.

References

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