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Former Mountaineers: true to their roots |
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Thursday, 31 August 2006 |
by KATIE ANN HENDERSON
Sports Reporter
Richie Williams and Jason Hunter were essential in winning the 1-AA National Championship last year and are now making their appearance in the professional league.
However, they aren’t the only Mountaineers to hit the “big time” and make a name for Appalachian State University football.
At least 20 former Mountaineers have signed with professional teams between the National Football League and Canadian Football League, ranging from John Hollar in 1948 to current stars such as Williams and Hunter.
But where are the Mountaineers now who have left their mark on Appalachian football?
Dino Hackett
Dino Hackett
played linebacker for ASU from 1982-1985. During his college career,
Hackett set eight school records, including the most solo, assisted and
total tackles in a season.
Hackett also received All-American recognition as a senior and was named an All-Southern Conference honoree in 1984 and 1985.
After graduating
from ASU, Hackett became the highest NFL draft-pick to come out of
Boone, as the Kansas City Chiefs picked him 35th overall.
Hackett played for Kansas City for six seasons before signing with the Seattle Seahawks in 1993.
The similarities
of collegiate and professional football are very strong, Hackett said,
as he learned many valuable lessons in the game.
“At ASU we learned work ethic and discipline,” Hackett said.
Hackett knows
the dream of becoming a professional athlete is a common thing in
college sports, but to actually achieve that dream takes a lot more
than just a goal.
“You have to
have that dream and you have to want it,” Hackett said. “[Going
professional] is not just going to happen. You have to make it come
true and you have to want it more than anything else in the whole
world.”
In October 2005, Hackett’s #38 jersey was retired during the homecoming weekend festivities.
Hackett is
currently involved in real estate development, building multifamily
conventional housing and student housing around college towns near Elon
University, North Carolina Agriculture & State University and the
University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Jason Hunter
Appalachian head
football coach Jerry Moore said Hunter’s legend will always be
recovering the fumble in the national championship game against
University of Northern Iowa last season and running 15 yards for a
touchdown to secure ASU’s victory.
But Hunter realizes that football is not just a game, as coaches can teach you a lot more.
“In ASU football
we come from real disciplined and structured play,” Hunter said. “Both
coach Moore and pastor Hunt lifted me up and encouraged me. They have a
very encouraging and spiritual way of reaching you and talking to you
on a deeper level.”
Now signed with
the Green Bay Packers, Hunter is preparing for his rookie debut. He
knows what it took to get him this far and he knows it is not an easy
task.
“You have to
compete, compete, compete,” he said. “And you have to work really
hard. If people around you are trying to help you, listen to them, but
if there are people around you who don’t care about you, you had better
stay away.”
Coach Moore is
proud of the player Hunter has become and knows that with a little bit
of patience, he will be a tremendous professional player.
Richie Williams
When Richie
Williams appeared on the field in the second half of the national
championship game last year, the Mountaineers were rejuvenated with a
new sense of power. Although he was injured, Williams sacrificed his
safety in order to give his team all that he had.
“Most people are
going to remember Richie Williams as a great competitor and a
tremendous person,” Moore said. “You don’t do what he did without
having tons of character and lots of grit.”
Williams, now signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL, left more than just a national championship legacy for ASU.
Williams set nearly every imaginable record for an Appalachian and SoCon quarterback.
In his rookie
season with the Tiger-Cats, Williams has already seen game time,
passing for 92 yards, rushing for 16 yards and completing 10 out of 16
pass attempts.
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