Hodson opts for football at Shorter
Hunter Hodson is known throughout northwest Georgia as a baseball standout and he has also provided valuable minutes on the basketball court this season.
But Hodson’s immediate future lies in another sport.
The multi-talented and superathletic Gordon Lee senior will be playing football after graduation as he recently signed a letter of intent to continue his career at nearby NCAA Division II Shorter University.
“It feels really good,” Hodson said of Signing Day. “I’ve worked hard for the last three years, so to know it’s all paying off feels really good.”
After playing receiver and defensive back the past couple of seasons, Hodson took over as the Trojans’ starting quarterback this past fall and promptly led his team to a season-opening 21-13 win over Dade County. However, he would suffer a knee injury in the late stages of the victory and was forced to miss the next three games.
But he would return to the lineup in mid-september and finished the year with 82 rushes for 503 yards and five touchdowns. He also completed 49-of86 passes for 699 yards and six more scores.
“The injury he suffered right there at the first of the year devastated us,” head coach Greg Ellis said. “But when he came back, he really made a big difference. He’s just a great kid. He does what you ask him to do and I’m very proud for him. I thought he was going to play baseball (in college), but he loves football and the money that he won’t have to pay is testament to how much (Shorter) wants him.”
Hodson said he liked everything about Shorter, including the campus and Hawks’ coaching staff.
“I went down there for a visit about the first week of the football season and really liked it,” he added. “I went back down there a few weeks ago and decided that’s where I wanted to go. They’re looking at me as an athlete and, hopefully, I can just bring a lot of energy and be a guy who can make plays on the offensive side.”
Ellis said Hodson will be a solid contributor, no matter where he plays.
“He’ll do well,” the coach added. “He could play cornerback on the defensive side, but I think he’ll be a really good quarterback at that level.”
Hodson said he is undecided on a major, but is leaning toward history. He said his long-term plans are to one day return to Gordon Lee as a coach.