Patience pays off for Hunt

MIDWEST CITY — Javion Hunt has needed to be patient during his time at Carl Albert.

Dadrion Taylor was the star running back for the Titans during Hunt's first two years in high school.

With Taylor now at Texas Tech, it' s Hunt's time to shine and get the bulk of the carries.

Hunt He' sc er

tainly off to a good start in his new role.

Hunt had 21 carries for 82 yards and one touchdown in Carl Albert's 31-0 victory at Midwest City on Friday night. He rushed for 68 yards on 16 carries in the first half and wasn't used much after the break as the game was out of reach.

It was clear that Carl Albert (1-0) is turning to Hunt — the son of former Carl Albert and Oklahoma running back Jay Hunt — to have a heavy workload this season.

“It's his time to step up,” Carl Albert coach Mike Corley said before the game. “We're looking forward to him being the running back for us and seeing how he performs. He's going to get to (carry) the rock for sure.”

Corley said he is confident that Hunt can have the same amount of success as Taylor, who was named The Oklahoman's Offensive Player of the Year in 2018.

“He's got the potential,” C or ley said of Hunt, who has offers from Nebraska, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Arkansas, among others.

Carl Albert is a physical team this year.

The Titans' defense dominated Midwest City (0-2) as they notched a shutout victory.

The Carl Albert offense was equally overpowering. The Titans didn't have a lot of big plays, but they marched down the field with Hunt and quarterback Ben Harris leading the way.

The way in which Carl Albert moved the ball mirrored Hunt's playing style. The 6-foot, 195-pounder is a different type of player than Taylor — commonly known as “Rabbit” — and the Titans have a slightly different look on offense.

“Rabbit was a slasher, more speed,” Corley said. “Javion has got good speed, but he's more powerful.”

Carl Albert utilized Hunt's powerful running style by having him take direct snaps in the wildcat formation in several third-down situations on Friday.

The Titans were successful on most of those plays. It helped them continue drives and beat their bitter rival. They hope the victory marks the beginning of their quest to win a fourth consecutive state title.