Hunter is ready for more touches

[aubiefifty 18,248]

Jarquez Hunter is ready for more touches after scoring 3 TDs

Published: Sep. 06, 2022, 7:14 p.m.

3-4 minutes

---

By

• Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter didn’t take long to make his presence felt in Auburn’s 42-16 win last Saturday against Mercer. Hunter took a handoff from starting quarterback T.J. Finley for a 19-yard run on 1st and 10 from the Bears’ 19-yard line. His first carry of the season was a touchdown that capped off an 11-play 68-yard scoring drive on Auburn’s first possession of the 2022 season.

Hunter scored Auburn’s third touchdown with a bruising 2-yard run on 2nd and Goal in the second quarter. The Tigers took a 21-point lead, and Hunter had two scores. Last season he had three rushing touchdowns. He already had two in one game, which was his first multiple touchdown game.

The sophomore running back didn’t have an easy path to becoming Tank Bigsby’s backup. Hunter dealt with an off-season knee surgery that caused him to miss lots of spring football. He fought to recover for fall camp and earned the spot.

Hunter’s work paid off with a three-touchdown night. He scored his third touchdown in the third quarter, putting the Tigers ahead 35-7. After the game, he took some time to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

“It feels good again getting back to playing because you know I had surgery in spring,” Hunter told reporters. “I was so happy to get back to playing in the real game. It made me feel better just to get back on the field.”

Auburn had nearly 285 rushing yards against the Bears. Bigsby led the way with 147 yards, and backup quarterback Robby Ashford had 67 yards as the second-leading rusher. Hunter had three touchdowns on eight carries for 34 yards with a 3.4 yards per carry.

Read More Auburn Football: Where is Auburn on ESPN’s College Football Power Index?

How Ja’Varrius Johnson became a starting receiver

What we learned from Auburn’s 42-16 win against Mercer

Being in a loaded backfield means you have to optimize opportunities. Hunter did that in game one. He believes that his work with Bigsby makes each running back better.

“We compete in practice, but we actually make each other better because we want to be great,” Hunter said. Both of us want to be great, so we work hard every day at practice to be great and we make each other better. I think me and Tank will be remembered as the one-two punch at Auburn.”

Hunter doesn’t limit himself to playing running back. He made several tackles for Tigers on special teams during kickoffs. He scored Auburn’s first touchdown on the 19-yard run, then flew down the field on the ensuing kickoff to make the tackle. Hustling after scoring a touchdown was part of what earned him Auburn’s special teams player of the week.

“Jarquez Hunter going down there and driving down the field and scoring and running down a kickoff and is 10 yards ahead of everybody else and makes the tackle,” Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin told reporters on Monday during a press conference. “Blows through a guy makes the tackle, and he’s a football player.”

Hunter and Auburn look to build on its game one win on Saturday when the Tigers host San Jose State.