Kendall Hunter averaged 6.5 yards per carry as a freshman last year, coming off the bench in relief of Dantrell Savage. Hunter had 23 carries for the Cowboys in the season opener against Washington State on Saturday, a career high for the back as he enters the season as the starter for OSU.
With each game he plays, sophomore running back Kendall Hunter receives more comparisons to former Cowboy running back Dantrell Savage.
Hunter surprised many Cowboy fans last year as a true freshman, emerging as a more than capable backup to the senior starter Savage.
Hunter rushed for 696 yards and four touchdowns, adding 137 yards and one touchdown receiving.
Hunter’s small size is one reason he has been compared to Savage, listed at 5-foot-8, compared to Savage’s 5-foot-9. They also have a very similar style of running.
Many people know Hunter by his nickname, ‘Spud.’ Hunter got the nickname from running backs’ coach Curtis Luper after Spud Webb, who at 5-foot-7 was one of the smallest men to play in the NBA.
Coach Mike Gundy called Hunter a fast and illusive back, but he also has a lot of power for a shorter player. He continues to drive his legs until the play is whistled dead.
“He does have the ability to make you miss, and he can get in the open field and run away from you,” Gundy said.
“He’s probably faster than what most people think.”
Co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer said that Hunter’s ability to plant his foot and make cuts is his strongest attribute as a running back.
Brewer said he is confident that Hunter could be one of the premier backs in the Big 12 because he has such a similar style to Savage, who led the Big 12 in rushing last season.
“Our guy last year, Dantrell, was a shifty guy like him, and Dantrell led the league, so I don’t see why he couldn’t,” Brewer said.
Hunter said he looked up to Savage as a freshman.
Savage was his mentor and friend, and that relationship helped put Hunter on the fast track for success in college football.
“I learned a lot from Savage,” Hunter said, “Watching him run and communicating with the team and associating with everybody else and his actions on the field.
“I used to hang out with him and he would show me the routes and stuff.”
In the Cowboys’ first game of the season, Hunter rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns, the first multi-touchdown game of his career. Hunter did fill in when Savage was injured last year, but this is the first season Hunter will be the starting back.
Sophomore receiver Dez Bryant said he believes Hunter will be ready for the challenges and expectations of being the starter. Bryant, like Hunter, came in last season as a true freshman and became an integral part of this season’s offense.
“Since he’s the starting running back now, he feels like that it’s his time now and he’s ready,” Bryant said.
Hunter’s teammates said they are confident in his ability to be a starting running back because of the work he’s put in since coming to OSU.
Junior quarterback Zac Robinson has witnessed Hunter’s improvement and said he is convinced he will continue to get better.
“I think he’s doing great,” Robinson said. “He’s gotten a lot stronger since he’s gotten here. He’s always been quick and fast.
“He’s got a great understanding of the offense and he’s just gonna continue to get better.”
One thing Gundy said he feels Hunter can improve on is being a receiver out of the backfield. Brewer said he wants to get him more involved in the passing game.
“We’d like to get him involved in the passing game too because he does have good hands,” Brewer said. “Any time you put the ball in his hands, it’s hard for that guy to be tackled anywhere.”
Gundy said Hunter is a playmaker but still just one key player on an offense loaded with weapons.
If Hunter is running the ball well, it will allow Robinson to get some running room and open up the passing lanes.
Hunter knows his role on the team and he goes out and performs well on game days, but he is also a hard worker in practice and his teammates are appreciative of his effort.
“He leads by example, by getting his work done, not complaining about anything, and guys see that and they feed off that,” Robinson said.
One thing that has impressed the Cowboy team the most is Hunter’s selflessness. Teammates said he is a humble guy who does his job and does not hype himself up, something that does not go unnoticed by his head coach.
“He’s not really concerned about his personal statistics,” Gundy said, “He’s more concerned about the team.”
Gundy’s description is echoed in Hunter’s comments. When asked what his personal goals for the season were, Hunter gave a quiet laugh and answered, “I just hope the team can win.”
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