“It’s pretty unbelievable to think we were 0-11 two years ago and now we’re undefeated,” Hunt said. “I think back to two years ago and how hard we worked every single day but had nothing to show for it on Saturday. I don’t work any harder now than I did then, but that’s how the game is. “Every football team works hard every week, all summer long, but only a few get to enjoy the success. I am trying to enjoy every minute of it. I have learned to appreciate the wins for sure.”
Not only is CSU having a good year, but Hunt is having his best season as a college player. He ranks among the leaders in sacks with five in the Big South Conference and is a true leader, according to head coach Jamey Chadwell, on this year’s team. “The guys on this team have tremendous respect for Will because they see how hard he works and how much this means to him,” said Chadwell, who helped recruit Hunt to CSU before leaving to become the head coach at North Greenville. “Here’s a young man that could have graduated and said, ‘This is enough for me.’ He chose to return for one more year because he wanted one more shot. We (the coaching staff) are sure glad he did because he is a tremendous leader for our young football team. “Some of these young guys, they are 6-0 and they don’t know about losing. But Will has seen the worst, and he tells these guys every day to play like it’s your last play and enjoy every success you can. You can really see that he is enjoying himself in every practice and in every game.”
“I don’t think about the past anymore and I don’t get too caught up in what lies ahead. I just want to play this season as hard as I can and enjoy it as much as I can because I know the end for me is coming,” said Hunt. “All the tough things that I went through during those first few years, it made me hungry. I won’t lie, it sure feels nice to win, but those losses helped me grow as a player and as a man.”
That's a great story. The recruiting classes of 2002/2003 had the same experience. Those years were:
2002: Team loses starting QB/All- Big South candidate Darren Swiggett for the year, struggle to 4-7 record, head coach is fired.
2003: Jay Mills hired; 1-11 in first season.
2004: Citadel game cancelled due to Hurricane threat; Team goes 5-5.
2005: CSU beats Coastal in epic, miracle finish, 7-4, Co-Big South Champs (w/ CCU, head to head CSU takes the trophy)
2006: Starts off 9-0, loses final two games.
That group that came in in 2002 and redshirted, or the group in 2003, experienced the worst of times, and left there with a ring. Great turnaround then, and a GREAT one now too, hopefully ending the same way; with a ring!
