SANTA CLARA – Second-year running back Kendall Hunter is having an outstanding offseason. On Tuesday he spoke in the media tent about how he’s improved, what he’s improved and why he’s such a surprisingly good blocker for a little player. Here’s a transcript
Q: Coach Roman said you’ve become a better player this offseason. Do you feel like you’ve come a long way since last year?
HUNTER: Yes. I had a full offseason for the first time. I was able to get in the playbook more and get with the coaches and ask them questions. Everything I had a question about they walked me through. When I came here last year it seemed like they just threw me in there.
Q: What were most of your questions about?
HUNTER: Just details – pass protection and running plays. In college you could get away with a lot of things, but in the NFL it seems like you take one wrong step, the whole play messes up.
Q: Did you spend more time this offseason watching your film or Frank Gore’s film?
HUNTER: Both. Frank’s helping me out with the details. Looking at myself, there’s a whole lot I could have done better last year, but I’m still learning and getting better.
Q: Coach Tom Rathman said you’re unusually strong in pass protection. How do you go up against bigger players? What’s the key for you?
HUNTER: I feel like I have an advantage over big guys because I can get under them and stay low, especially when they come between the linemen – they really can’t see me, and I can just jump out from behind a lineman and block them.
Q: Do you like blocking?
HUNTER: Yes, because as a running back, if you can’t block, you can’t play. I’ve been hearing that ever since I started playing running back.
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I have alot more confidence going into this season that if Gore (heaven forbid) goes down Hunter will be more than capable of carrying the load for the Running Game.
I really liked what I saw from Hunter last year. If he is as improved as he sounds to be it will be a lights out combination between him and Gore.
Hunter was good last year, he could be a beast this year. Love it when these smaller football players step up and block. This could be a huge year for Hunter as he steps up and starts to take over for the great Gore.
undercenter
That is why we need to win this year. I don’t know if FG has another year in him. His contract ends in 2014 (his last year) but I don’t think he fulfills it.
ditto. It seemed like every time Gore went out, KH would break off a 7-15 yard run or take a short pass around the edge and down the line. Really promising stuff and he should be only improving with a full offseason, like the rest of the team.
On another note, it seems like every story about an individual is about how they have had a tremendous offseason and come into came in better shape than in years past….. etc. What I want to know (so i can begrudge them) is who didn’t work hard this offseason, or who came into camp out of shape.
@dangle
I don’t think JH keeps those kinds of players around after final cuts. We won’t have those players for Grant to find.
I’m betting, we don’t have any now in fact.
It’s all in the phrasing. A “good” vs “great” offseason… “He’s been working hard” vs “He’s been working his butt off with his face buried in the playbook from day one.” All varying degrees- you just have to watch for how enthusiastic the words are.
Love his play and great team player
Pretty short interview. Longer than Crabtree’s though, in the sense that he hasn’t and probably won’t give one.
Can’t wait to see Hunter in action this season.
Hunter will prey on opposing defenses and feast on their secondaries.
in my opinion kendalls our most underrated player from last years roster an this years roster. people r so obsessed with stats they automatically see 5’7 an say ok that means hes not as good like height is the one deciding factor in football. watch last years games this dude is a high quality RB. im glad he had a good rookie season cuz i got a feeling if he didnt bust out big runs that even mor epeople wud think he isnt good enough. he can run inside outside an is too small for anyone to catch. imagine someone only 5″7 thats 200 pounds its like a human bowling ball rollin down the field. cant wait to see this guy get more touches this year hes my favorite player from last year an from what i saw you can tell hes a great player who ready for the nfl