Hunt excited to reconnect with former track coach

When the NFL announced its 2018 season schedule last spring, Kareem Hunt’s eyes opened wide when he saw the date.

It was Nov. 4 — Chiefs at Browns.

“I was just excited,” said Hunt in a phone interview with The News-Herald. “It seemed so far away at the time, but I’m coming home. I can’t wait to play in a stadium I probably drove past 4, 5 times a week when I was growing up.”

Hundreds of family, friends and members of the current Willoughby South football program will be attendance to cheer on Hunt, who donated 110 tickets for the game to the Rebels program That generosity shows what the football team means to him, as well as his supporters.

“I’ll definitely try to get out there early to see as many as people as I can,” said Hunt of his plans before the 1 p.m. game.

There’s one person in particular Hunt can’t wait to re-connect with Nov. 4.

“Matt Luck, for sure,” said Hunt.

Luck is in his 16th year as a history teacher at South High School, and his 20th as the track and field coach for the Rebels. Hunt and Luck formed a bond first as teacher-student, then as coach-athlete.

“He was on me to join the track team for a while,” said Hunt. “He would say, ‘I saw you get run down from behind. Come out for track and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.’ “

Hunt and close friend Mark Walton eventually joined the track team as sophomores, and Hunt, on the verge of becoming one of Ohio’s elite running backs, was beginning his time as a state-caliber sprinter and long jumper.

When Hunt left for the University of Toledo, and then eventually became a third-round pick of the Chiefs in 2017, he didn’t forget Luck’s impact Luck on him.

The summer before his record-setting rookie season in which he led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards, Hunt reached out to his high-school coach and asked Luck to train him before the start of August training camp.

“I told him my door would always be open for him,” said Luck. “For him to make that phone call, I was excited. There was no way I was going to say no.

“The nice thing was it was just he and I. There was no agenda other than to help him get better. He knew that everything we were doing, and he knew this from experience, was to help make him better. We ran the hills, played a lot of catch, tried to keep things football-related.”

They spent five weeks together in the summer of 2017 training at South working on the basics of running, with an emphasis on A drills — which reinforce correct landing of the feet with each stride and coordination.

“A lot of it was really simple,” said Luck. “Just running basics, and we repeated them over and over and over again. Even when I watch him run (on TV), if I see something, I’ll text him, ‘Work on your A drills.’ “

That’s how Luck and Hunt have mostly communicated since the summer of 2017. They met last season in New York, where Luck and his family were guests of Hunt at the Chiefs-Giants game on Nov. 19. They saw each other briefly after the game.

Nearly a year later, Luck — along with his 19-yearold sons Jackson and Jonathan — will again be guests of Hunt. Luck’s parents, Jack and Pat of Kirtland, will also be in attendance.

“Great guy,” said Hunt of Luck. “He was on me (to join the track team) since I was a freshman. He wouldn’t leave me alone, but he’s been a huge help, and I really appreciate everything he’s done. He’s helped me with my (running) form, and helped me to get faster. Plus, he always knew how best to take care of my body.”

As for his return to his hometown, stepping foot on FirstEnergy Stadium actually won’t be the first time Hunt plays on the field. As a pee-wee player in sixth grade, he and his teammates scrimmaged each other at halftime of a Browns game.

“It was a rainy day, and they wouldn’t let us wear our cleats so we had to wear our tennis shoes,” said Hunt with a laugh. “But we were out there, so that was cool.”

On Nov. 4, it will be a bit different for Hunt as the high-flying 7-1 Chiefs, who have scored an NFL-best 290 points, are led by the likes of record-setting Patrick Mahomes, receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce.

It might be a bit different for the hundreds of Hunt fans who on most Sundays root for the Browns, and especially one in particular.

“I’m a Chiefs fans whenever Kareem plays,” said Luck.