Hunt, Trubisky have played big in big games

Barring an unforeseen development, Mitchell Trubisky and Kareem Hunt will be selected during the April 27-29 NFL Draft.

Trubisky is the area’s all-time leader in passing yards and the 2012 Ohio Mr. Football. He had almost 5,000 yards passing and rushing as a senior with 60 total touchdowns.

Hunt set an area singleseason record as a senior with 2,685 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns.

Trubisky (Mentor) and Hunt (South) will always be associated with each other. The two shared The NewsHerald’s Tony Fisher Award in 2011 as juniors.

They also started their youth football careers in the Mentor Youth Football Association.

They’ve wowed area football fans since emerging as a high school standouts, and then in college.

Here are the best high school and college performances by Trubisky and Hunt:

Trubisky

HIGH SCHOOL » In a 2012 Division I regional semifinal against St. Edward that Mentor won, 63-56, Trubisky completed 36 of 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns. Trubisky also rushed for 98 yards on 25 carries and two more touchdowns.

“It was an all-world performance,” said Mentor coach Steve Trivisonno.

St. Edward led the game, 56-35, midways through the third quarter until the Cardinals rallied for an historic win. COLLEGE » On Sept. 24 of last season, Trubisky led North Carolina to a stunning 37-36 win of Pittsburgh. It was a game the Tar Heels trailed by 13 with a few minutes left in the game.

Trubisky threw a gamewinning 2-yard touchdown pass to Bug Howard with 2 seconds left in regulation.

The TD was Trubisky’s fifth of the game, which was a career high in college. Trubisky also threw for 453 yards, another career high.

Hunt

HIGH SCHOOL » Hunt was up for the challenge against crosstown rival Eastlake North as a junior in 2011. He rushed for an area record 485 yards on 41 carries in a 45-26 victory.

Hunt also scored six touchdowns in the game.

“Kareem was a man on a mission,” said former North coach George Burich after the game. “Sometimes, the blocks weren’t there for him and he still made plays. We’ll be watching him on Sundays some day.” COLLEGE » Hunt’s sophomore season at Toledo was his best, rushing for 1,631 yards. He ended that season in historic fashion.

Hunt ran for 271 yards and tied a bowl record set by Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders with five touchdowns in a 63-44 win over Arkansas State in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl.

“That dude is a beast,” said Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson in the postgame. “He’s just a beast.”

NEWS‑HERALD FILE Left, Mentor quarterback Mitch Trubisky runs the ball during a 2012 regional semifinal against St. Edward. Right, South’s Kareem Hunt leaps over a North defender in 2011.