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FB Preview Excerpt: Jack Of All Trades, Master Of ... All

Torii Hunter stays busy with two sports plus his academic workload at Notre Dame.
Torii Hunter stays busy with two sports plus his academic workload at Notre Dame.
BGI/Andrew Ivins

The following is an excerpt of a feature that will appear in the 2016 Football Preview Magazine. Click here to order your copy (or see special order below) of the 160-page edition that includes player features, historical information, detailed position-by-position analysis, opponent previews and much more.

During the 2009 and 2010 baseball seasons, while Torii Hunter Sr. was about two-thirds of the way through an illustrious baseball career, he had a workout partner every morning at 5 a.m., going through the necessary activities that would both prolong a 34 year old’s career while planting the seeds for another rising star.

Current Notre Dame two-way athlete Torii Hunter Jr. was one of the rare 14 year olds that had a 5 a.m. wake-up call every morning with an All-Star baseball player. He could release his competitive juices while training for future sports stardom with the best possible example, his father.

“He works hard no matter what and a lot of people can work hard the wrong way,” Hunter Sr. said. “He wants to know what's the right way to do it, how to do it and he put work in that way, the right way. I definitely think just him watching me my whole life, working hard, getting up at 5 a.m. to train and he would go with me sometimes and kind of watch me go out and do what I had to do and it rubbed off on him at 14, 15 years old.

“He was getting up at 5 a.m. to go train and then go to school. He's always had that work ethic in his blood and I think it's just a learned behavior.”

Hunter Sr., who retired in 2015 after a career that spanned 19 baseball seasons, always believed in exposing his three sons — all of whom currently play college football — to as many sports as possible. While so many parents and youth coaches steer players toward specializing in one sport, Hunter Sr. prefers the opposite approach.

“They played football, basketball and baseball in high school,” he said. “They played all three sports. I honestly don't think you use the same muscles in all three sports. In football, you use a different muscle, basketball a different one and baseball is definitely a different one.

“When those guys leave football and go to basketball drills, they're sore. It lets you know you're using different muscles. Then you go to baseball for the first week of practice and they're really sore. It allows every muscle to work so you're a complete athlete somehow. That's why I always allowed my kids to play every sport because I feel like if you use different muscles, you get more athletic ability.

Hunter Sr. also believes in the mental growth that baseball provides.

“Mentally you have to learn to accept failure because you're going to fail seven out of ten times. Three [successful times] out of 10 and you're a hero. You do that in any other job, you suck, you get fired,” he laughed. “It makes you strong mentally.”

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Hunter is expected to emerge as the go-to receiver this fall.
Hunter is expected to emerge as the go-to receiver this fall.
BGI/Bill Panzica

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Hunter Jr. is the rare athlete that not only played multiple sports growing up, but also competes for two varsity teams while in college.

During the spring, he juggled his responsibilities between the baseball season, football spring practice and his academic workload.

Each day, he said, began with football workouts at 6:30 a.m., with classes afterwards. Early in the afternoon, he would head to a baseball game or practice. Once that wrapped up, it was time for homework.

“Over the last couple of days, actually, I’ve had a couple guys come up to me and say ‘You had a game yesterday? I don’t know how you do it; that’s awesome. I appreciate that, and you coming out here and giving it your all, especially when you just had a game yesterday.’ It makes me feel good about myself,” said Hunter Jr., adding that he tries to find time for 30-minute naps whenever he can. “It shows that they really look up to me and appreciate the fact that I try to give my all with both teams.”

When the Prosper, Texas, native was being recruited in high school, his family knew they wanted a destination that would allow him to play football and baseball while offering a world-class education.

“He actually wanted to play both sports,” Hunter Sr. said. “He had several offers from several different schools: Arkansas, Arizona State, West Virginia, [Texas]. You name them. He had offers, but he saw Notre Dame and he was such a great student in school that we wanted to challenge his mind. It wasn't all about football and baseball, it was about getting a great education from a school like Notre Dame.”

Baseball head coach Mik Aoki calls Hunter Jr. an “unbelievably mature kid” and a “tremendous human being.” It’s not always easy for the head coaches that might want a talent like Hunter around 100 percent of the time, but they appreciate the commitment he has shown to both sports.

“[An outsider] can't even begin to somehow quantify this,” Aoki said. “In terms of what they have to do, it's really pretty remarkable what they have to do. At Notre Dame, it's not like they're taking a lesser academic course load. They're still taking five classes per semester. None of those classes are online classes like are popping up at so many universities across the country.

“It's really unbelievable. Only people who are holding down like three full-time jobs would have any idea of what it is these guys go through. The commitment of time and the pull on your body, trying to find time to sleep, trying to find time to eat, trying to find time to prepare for your classes and everything else.

“The level of focus and the habits and the routine you have to create in order to accomplish something like this is something both [former Irish star Pat Connaughton] and Torii have been able to accomplish is mind-boggling. The average person wouldn't have the slightest idea of what these kids do in order to follow their passion for playing multiple sports and their desire to excel in the classroom.”

To read more, CLICK HERE to order your copy of the 2016 Blue & Gold Illustrated Football Preview Magazine for only $6.95 (regularly $11.95 plus $5.00 shipping). This special offer to BlueandGold.com members expires on Thursday, June 23. Non-members can save $5 with FREE shipping by CLICKING HERE.

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