MAUI, Hawaii--North Dakota State University center Rob Hunt will play in the 2005 Hula Bowl Maui All-Star Game scheduled for Saturday, January 22, in War Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (CST) and will be nationally-televised by ESPN2. He will wear his familiar jersey number 53.
Hunt, a 6-foot-4, 290-pounder from Cavalier, N.D., is the first NDSU player since running back Lamar Gordon to play in one of the major collegiate all-star games. Gordon played in the 2002 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
He was selected the 2004 Great West Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year by media, and named to the 2004 All-Great West Football Conference first team by coaches and media. Hunt was credited with a team-high 72 "pancake blocks" as a senior. The Bison rushed for 192.4 yards per game last season -- an increase of 33 yards per game over 2003, and averaged 378 yards of total offense.
Hunt completed the 2004 season with a string of 42 consecutive starts, despite wearing a cast on his snapping hand in 2003, and became the NDSU player since All-American center Mike Favor (1985-88) to start each game in their career. Hunt did not allow a sack and only one quarterback hit over the past two seasons.
Hunt joins an impressive list of NDSU major collegiate all-star game performers that includes former standouts tackle Lyle Sturgeon (1936 East-West Shrine), running back Chad Stark (1987 East-West Shrine), Phil Hansen (1990 East West Shrine, Blue-Grey, All-American Classic), halfback Ernie Wheeler (1938 Blue-Grey), linebacker Steve Nelson (1974 Coaches All-American) and Stacy Robinson (1985 Senior Bowl).
North Dakota State finished the 2004 season with an 8-3 record. It was NDSU's first year of Division I-AA football. The Bison finished 23rd in The Sports Network's Top 25 poll, 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25, and 15th in the Football Gazette's Top 40.
