LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i native Conor Hunt had the luxury of mulling through several options before committing to the Georgetown Hoyas during National Signing Day on Feb. 5.
Hunt, who transferred from Island School to Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy, had several collegiate options before signing with the Hoyas, an NCAA Division I football school.
Hunt attended the prestigious Chris Sailer football camp, where he received interest from several NCAA Division I colleges.
The schools interest in the Kaua‘i native included: Army at West Point, the Naval Academy, University of San Diego, Claremont McKenna, McGill University, Lewis &Clark, Jacksonville, and Willamette, as well as continued interest from Dartmouth, Columbia, Rice, University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh and LaFayette.
After he won recognition at the Hawai‘i Sailer camp, he advanced to the national Sailer competition in Las Vegas.
This is where Hunt excelled against the top 45 kickers in the nation.
The performance caught the attention of the Hoyas, who were looking for a place-kicker and a punter.
They were able to promise a roster spot and playing time, which Hunt said wasn’t a concern in choosing Georgetown.
“Playing time wasn’t a big concern when I was looking where I was going to go to school,” Hunt said. “There was a lot more competition if I was to play with TV schools. “I had an opportunity to play at the highest level of football, and that was a perk that Georgetown offered.”
The Kaua‘i connection
A coach that Hunt credited with his development into an NCAA Division I kicker was Kaua‘i High’s own Pete Dupee.
Working with him one-on-one, he credited Dupee with developing him into a top-tier kicker.
“He’s the first one that taught me everything, and taught me how to kick back when I was living in Kaua‘i,” Conor Hunt said. “He was a big part of our motivation to make it to the league and play on Sunday, and he is a great man, and I wish he could see me playing in Georgetown.”
All about academics
Conor Hunt’s father, Steve Hunt, dad said he was looking for a college that allowed him to find his fit.
“Myself and my wife both feel playing football at the collegiate level is for four years, and an Ivy-league education is for life,” Steve Hunt said. “He does plan to the pursuit of football and would love to play in the NFL one day, but that is a big mountain to climb, and we told him he needed a fall-back plan, and we are coaching him on getting a stellar education.”
Any given Sunday
Throughout his four-year collegiate career at the University of Alabama, and the start of his NFL career, Coner Hunt has followed current Green Bay Packers’ J.T. Scott’s career.
Conor acknowledged Houston Texans’ kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn, who was born in Honolulu, as one of his influences, but hopes to get someday a chance to kick in the NFL, a long-term goal he has.
That is precisely what his aim is as he continues to pursue his football career.
“He was one of the best punters coming out of high school, and I watched him for four years, and although that doesn’t seem like a long time, it is is to gradually progress, and that could be my story as well,” Conor Hunt said. “I am most likely going to go into undecided I am not really interested in any at the moment. Forty-five of the nation’s best kickers compete.”
•••
Jason Blasco, sports reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.
