WOW..High Praise for Wayne Hunter

[Steveg]

OT Wayne Hunter lined up for success with Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Bill Callahan has spent most of his 32-year coaching career developing offensive linemen.

He believes he might currently be tutoring his best, even if it's a name most NFL fans may not be familiar with: New York Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter.

"He is, by far, the best athlete I've ever coached on the line. He can do it all — his power, his leverage, his ability to run, his ability to move — I mean, you name it, he excels at it," says Callahan, who enters his 13th season on an NFL sideline since 1995. "There are no flaws athletically."

So why has Hunter, 30, who was taken in the third round of the 2003 draft by the Seattle Seahawks, only started five regular-season games in his pro career?

"A lot of guys, they adapt to the league a lot quicker, (but) I don't have any excuses," says Hunter, who played on the O-line for only one year in college in Hawaii's run-and-shoot attack.

"I was green, I was really green. … For me it took a while, it took a few years."

But he was ready last December when starter Damien Woody injured his knee and missed the final three regular-season games. Woody returned for the playoffs but blew out his Achilles' tendon in the wild-card round, putting Hunter back into the lineup.

"He's really matured. It's time. He's earned it," says Callahan, who praised Hunter's late-season performances, especially against the Pittsburgh Steelers (whom Hunter faced in the regular season and playoffs).

"I really believe that a lot of times when you go through your early years as a pro, you may not find the home or feel comfortable with whoever you're with," adds Callahan.

"(But) sometimes something just clicks, it registers in their own mind that, 'Hey, this is it, I've got to make the most of this situation.' We were really rooting for him when he came here."

Hunter has been stuck behind some of the best offensive linemen in the league. Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson— both likely Hall of Famers— were ahead of him in Seattle. Hunter joined the Jets in 2008, and they boasted another player seemingly bound for Canton (guard Alan Faneca), Woody, a former Pro Bowler, and two rising stars in left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold.

"I've been around some of the best but, I don't know, it's good and bad," says Hunter, "bad in the sense that you don't get to see any playing time, good in the sense that, obviously, I got to learn from those guys."

But Hunter (6-5, 318 pounds) may be ready to play near their caliber.

"It (isn't) too big for him," says Jets right guard Brandon Moore. "He fills in to the standard that's been set here of playing at a high level and being consistent in our offensive line play."

Hunter feels ready to step in but won't compare himself favorably to Woody, who retired earlier this month.

"Nothing's gonna change. I mean our philosophy — ground and pound — is still gonna be the same. In my opinion, Woody was a better run blocker than me," says Hunter. "(But) I don't think coaches see it that way. I think we're still gonna run to the right as much as when Woody was here.

"Woody's an overall package, my job is just kind of pick up where he left off. That's what I see my goal as."

Hunter's attitude is no surprise to Callahan.

"He's a very humble person, he's a very respectful person, and he would never disrespect anybody that's helped him or taught him," says Callahan. "He's very, very appreciative of what other people have done to help him … he's been in a good room where guys have accepted him and really root for him to do well.

"He felt at home, he feels a part of this."

Though just now blossoming, Hunter has played in 44 games since becoming a Jet, often as a tight end in the team's "jumbo package" which Callahan says allowed him to "see the game a little slower" now. Callahan, who says Hunter is easily suited to play either side, was also amazed by his ability to get downfield and catch the ball out of that alignment, though he's never had a reception in a game.

"Playing the jumbo tight end really helped," Hunter says of his development. "It was basically tackle blocking further out."

Hunter also begins 2011 already seasoned by criticism. Some analysts believe he was tipping the Jets' plays in their AFC Championship Game loss to the Steelers. On one drive in question, New York was unable to score a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown in its 24-19 loss despite getting three cracks from the Steelers' 1-yard line. Was Hunter telegraphing run and pass plays to linebacker LaMarr Woodley with his set-up?

"The defensive line, they're taught to read our stances. We're taught to go into two-point and three-point and mix it up. I just happened to be in the two-point (for two passes)," says Hunter. "Did I give it away? I don't know."

Callahan defends Hunter and says it was overblown analysis but concedes, "I could've put him in a better position."

Regardless, everyone — especially Hunter — is happy he's back.

Callahan says the Jets considered spending their first-round draft pick on a tackle given their was no guarantee Hunter would return after the lockout.

"We looked at four tackles in the draft. We thought they were all good players," says the coach. "No disrespect, but we liked Wayne more than we liked the tackles in the draft, and those guys are gonna be great players. He has that complete package right now."

A package Hunter was only too happy to give the Jets for the foreseeable future.

"I had to (stay), I just felt too comfortable in the offense," he says of his decision to re-sign for four years despite receiving other offers.

"Kind of having the feeling that Woody was gonna retire just created an opportunity that I'd been waiting for eight, nine years now."

[GhostOfGlennFoley]

Wow. This is especially impressive given that he also coaches Mangold, Moore, and DBrick.

[bitonti]

reading about Wayne Hunter taking 8 or 9 years to mature it kinda puts the Vlad Ducasse discussion into perspective.

[ZachEY]

reading about Wayne Hunter taking 8 or 9 years to mature it kinda puts the Vlad Ducasse discussion into perspective.

Remind me again what perspective that is?

That you should draft players, pay them big contracts, take up a roster spot for them, and then resign them to their next contract, all hoping that one day, 8 years later, he may get a chance to start at right tackle after the guy in front of him gets hurt and retires, and he receives some praise from his position coach?

You think Seattle management will read this article and feel like they made a mistake not keeping him around?

How long do we keep Vlad on the roster if he continues at this level? How much longer should we have kept Gholston on the roster? (Please use actually year numbers)

[SoFlaJets]

Remind me again what perspective that is?

That you should draft players, pay them big contracts, take up a roster spot for them, and then resign them to their next contract, all hoping that one day, 8 years later, he may get a chance to start at right tackle after the guy in front of him gets hurt and retires, and he receives some praise from his position coach?

You think Seattle management will read this article and feel like they made a mistake not keeping him around?

How long do we keep Vlad on the roster if he continues at this level? How much longer should we have kept Gholston on the roster? (Please use actually year numbers)

Ducasse diodn't look too bad the other night EY. Hey at some point we just have to trust our pretty damn good coaching staff to know more than we do.

[ZachEY]

Ducasse diodn't look too bad the other night EY. Hey at some point we just have to trust our pretty damn good coaching staff to know more than we do.

That's fine.

Point being, if you can't crack the starting line-up, or even act as a viable back-up, as a 2nd round pick after a few years, how long do you let it go?

You can replace the name 'Vlad' with anyone else. Honestly, bit's whole point is still about saving face from Gholston more than anything else.

[SoFlaJets]

That's fine.

Point being, if you can't crack the starting line-up, or even act as a viable back-up, as a 2nd round pick after a few years, how long do you let it go?

You can replace the name 'Vlad' with anyone else. Honestly, bit's whole point is still about saving face from Gholston more than anything else.

I'd say the Gholston rule-3-4 years but that's not gonna happen with Vlad-he already has done more than Vern ever did here

[ZachEY]

I'd say the Gholston rule-3-4 years but that's not gonna happen with Vlad-he already has done more than Vern ever did here

Very fair. My commentary was on the idea that an 8-9 year vet finally starting, who was drafted by another team, changes how we should feel about our draft picks.

[T0mShane]

Matt Leinart's ascension to the #2 spot in Houston is all the validation I'll ever need.

[BroadwayJ667]

Matt Leinart's ascension to the #2 spot in Houston is all the validation I'll ever need.

The fact that he even looks like a servicable backup is all the testament I need to patience with many players. As far as Leinart goes he always wanted to be a backup. No one hates you, you get some attention, get paid well, and little wear and tear. He was always a playboy who just used football as tool for chicks

[JiFtheOracle]

Hunter is a beast. I love this guy. The Jets Oline was at its best when Hunter was in for Woody. With Slauson having another year under his belt and Hunter coming into his own, I expect a really good year controlling the LOS.