Tulsa World: Bounty Hunter

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Bounty Hunter

Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter bowls over Texas defenders Saturday in Austin, Texas. In that game, the Cowboy sophomore surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and is on pace to run for 1,800. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World

By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer
Published: 10/28/2008 2:11 AM
Last Modified: 10/29/2008 1:51 AM

Correction
This story incorrectly referred to one of Kendall Hunter’s football rushing records at Oklahoma State University. Hunter is the third sophomore in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The first two were Terry Miller (1975) and Thurman Thomas (1985).

Audio: Listen to a Q&A with OSU head coach Mike Gundy during the Big 12 football coaches’ teleconference Monday.

OSU's Kendall Hunter runs for touchdowns and records while he leads the Cowboys' quest in the BCS.

STILLWATER — It isn't a stretch to say Kendall Hunter's production has taken Oklahoma State's offense great lengths this season.

It also isn't a stretch to say those lengths have been greater than Hunter or OSU coaches anticipated.

Before the season, coach Mike Gundy envisioned Hunter splitting duty at running back with junior Keith Toston and junior-college transfer Beau Johnson, hoping the trio would match last season's 2,158-yard output from Dantrell Savage, Hunter and Toston.

It worked. Hunter's emergence this season as the main back has taken the ground game to another level. Hunter's Big 12-leading 1,116 yards is part of the 1,899 yards the trio gained in the first eight games. If that progress continues, all expectations will be shattered.

"We would like to keep things going the way they are," Gundy said.

This week, 7-1 OSU is No. 9 in the BCS standings. Hunter and his counterparts have made OSU the No. 6 rushing team in the country. As the leader on the ground, Hunter averages 6.6 yards per carry and 139.5 yards per game, which crowns him the No. 4 rusher in the land.

Add to all of that the 10 touchdowns he has scored, with many more likely to come.

The soft-spoken Hunter already has proven he can exceed expectations.

He graduated from John Tyler High in Tyler, Texas, as the school's all-time leading rusher. The guy whose record he broke was Earl Campbell, the 1977 Heisman Trophy winner at Texas.

Even while OSU coaches planned to use a three-back rotation this season, Hunter said he had set a goal to run for at least 1,000 yards. Now, he's on pace for more than 1,800 yards.

Only one other sophomore in OSU history — Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas in 1985 — has surpassed 1,000 yards.

"Really? I didn't know that," Hunter said. "I'm just focused on my team right now."

In a league where high-profile quarterbacks and highly potent passing offenses are all the rage, Hunter's productivity is still worthy for mentions as Big 12 Player of the Year and All-America honors.

Those achievements weren't remotely on Hunter's mind in high school. He was just hoping to get a shot to play big-time college football.

After breaking his ankle midway through his junior season at John Tyler, recruiters were interested but skeptical of an undersized player coming off an injury.

But OSU offensive coach Joe Wickline, whose recruiting territory covers east Texas, liked what he saw on videotape.

He urged Gundy and the coaching staff to take a chance. In May 2006, Wickline and Gundy attended John Tyler High's spring scrimmage to watch Hunter up close.

"It didn't take long after that," Gundy said. "After about 10 to 12 plays, we knew. I asked Wickline where he was hiding this guy."

Hunter is no longer a hidden gem.

"We're glad he's on our team, and he's been very good for us," Gundy said. "One of the best attributes he has is he never says anything. He just does what we ask him to do, and he continues to play hard. You can't get enough guys like that."

UPGRADED ATTACK

Using three running backs, OSU is on pace to lead the Big 12 in rushing for the third straight year. A look at the totals for the three primary backs all three seasons:

2006: Dantrell Savage (820 yards, eight TDs), Keith Toston (631 yards, six TDs), Mike Hamilton (546 yards, four TDs)

Totals: 1,997 yards, 18 TDs

2007: Savage (1,272 yards, nine TDs), Kendall Hunter (696 yards, four TDs), Toston (190 yards, 1 TD)

Totals: 2,158 yards, 14 TDs

2008: Hunter (1,116 yards, 10 TDs), Toston (517 yards, eight TDs), Beau Johnson (266 yards, two TDs)

Totals: 1,899 yards, 20 TDs

Matt Doyle 581-8316
matt.doyle@tulsaworld.com By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer

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	Report Comment Have that, America (10/28/2008 10:10:25 AM) Next year, Hunter will be up for Heisman...he is the best back in the country...he makes Javon Ringer look like a pee-wee league player.
	Report Comment definedego, (10/28/2008 4:15:24 PM) Go baby go!

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