“That will be the happiest day of my life,” he said. “This means more to me, graduating college, than when I became an all-American because I know they can take football away from me, but they can’t take my degree. God has been good to me.”
His father, Dwayne Hunter, 47, added: “When he walks across that stage, I will be the happiest. Football can come and go in the blink of an eye. I’m so proud of him for everything he has done at Marshall. He has become a productive young man.”
You may be saying, “I remember a kid named Hunter from Middletown.”
Same guy. Different attitude.
It was the spring of 2009 and Hunter, a four-star football recruit from Middletown High School and rated by Rivals.com as the No. 17 cornerback in the country, was set to sign a scholarship offer from University of Tennessee. He appeared talented enough to join the long list of former Middies who excelled on the Division I college gridiron.
But a couple of weeks before signing day, Hunter was charged with felonious assault after allegedly shooting a 15-year-old boy in the face with a BB gun. Shortly after word of the arrest came to light, Lane Kiffin, then coach at UT, pulled the scholarship offer.
That wasn’t the only legal issue Hunter has encountered. In May of 2009, he was charged with assaulting a former girlfriend after allegedly choking the 17-year-old victim until she was unconscious — in addition to punching and hitting her in the face repeatedly — after forcing her into his car and threatening to kill her.
“Everybody makes mistakes,” Hunter said when asked about his teenage troubles. “Young, dumb kids make mistakes. But now I have matured. I had to mature after the heartache and pain I caused my family. I am blessed to be in the position I am today. Not everybody gets a second chance.”
His father said: “I try not to think about the past. He was a kid back then and all kids make mistakes.”
That’s enough of a history lesson.
Hunter and his family prefer to look forward instead of the rear view mirror. After Hunter, 24, graduates today, he will continue practicing for Marshall’s next football game in the Boca Raton Bowl in Boca Raton, Fla. The Thundering Herd face Mid-American Conference’s Northern Illinois University at 6 p.m. Dec. 23.
Then Hunter, a 6-foot, 214-pound linebacker, may return to Marshall to complete his athletic eligibility, earn another degree; or he may opt to enter the NFL draft next spring.
As he said, every player dreams of playing professionally.
Hunter said his football career is second to academics right now. He wants to be the best student/athlete possible, in that order.
“I do it for them,” he said of his family, his father, mother, Sherell, sister and step-sisters. “It’s bigger than me.”
What’s his advice to others who may have taken a misstep?
“Stay focused and do good in school,” he said. “And listen to your parents. You may not always want to listen to them, but they have been there and done that.”
And so has D.J. Hunter. Both good and bad.
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