THE 2020 FEBRUARY NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING PERIOD BEGAN ON WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5 AND FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS I WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE CODY BRONC ATHLETES THAT WILL BE TAKING THEIR TALENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
ON TUESDAY CODY BRONC SENIOR HUNTER HAYS ANNOUNCED HE HAD COMMITTED TO CONTINUE HIS ACADEMIC AND FOOTBALL CAREER AT IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY. I SAT DOWN WITH BOTH HUNTER AND HIS DAD JOSH, A FORMER ISU ALUM, TO DISCUSS WHY HE CHOSE IDAHO STATE, WHAT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS WAS LIKE AND AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FAMILY TO SEE HIM ATTEND THEIR ALMA MATER. HUNTER ON WHY HE CHOSE IDAHO STATE.
“I JUST REALLY HAD A GREAT FEELING THERE. I FELT LIKE GOD KIND OF LED ME IN THAT DIRECTION AND IT WAS, I JUST PRAYED A LOT ABOUT IT. THAT WAS JUST WHERE I FELT I FIT THE MOST.”
HAYS GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AS A WHOLE AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEING A PART OF IT.
“IT’S A FUN PROCESS. IT’S A REALLY CHALLENGING ONE. YOU GOTTA DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO GET YOURSELF OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY FROM SMALL TOWN WYOMING. SO A LOT OF IT REVOLVES AROUND TWITTER NOWADAYS. YOU GOTTA POST ALL YOUR HIGHLIGHTS AFTER GAMES, THINGS LIKE THAT, SO COACHES CAN SEE. THEN IT’S JUST KIND OF COMMUNICATING WITH COACHES, TALKING TO THEM AND THEN GOING ON VISITS AND SEEING THE SCHOOLS AND SEEING WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER, TOO.”
HAYS GOES ON TO ADD WHAT HE NEEDS TO WORK ON THE MOST AND ADDRESSES HOW RED SHIRTING HIS FRESHMAN SEASON COULD BE A BIG ADVANTAGE.
“THE NEXT IS PROBABLY… REALLY HIT THE WEIGHT ROOM HARD. I GOTTA WORK MY BUTT OFF IN THERE AND THEN TRY TO LEARN SOME OF THE PHILOSOPHIES AND STUFF. LIKE THE OFFENSE AT IDAHO STATE. I’LL BE REPORTING IN JUNE, SO WHEN I CAN GO THERE IN JUNE I’LL GET TO WORK OUT WITH THE PLAYERS, GET TO KNOW THE GUYS. IT’D BE REALLY GOOD FOR ME TO RED-SHIRT, I’M A LITTLE UNDERSIZED. SO IT’D BE GOOD FOR ME TO TAKE A YEAR TO BULK UP, BE GOOD TO ALSO HAVE A FULL YEAR IN THE PROGRAM BEFORE I START PLAYING TO GET THAT EXPERIENCE AND HAVE A FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO GET DONE.”
BOTH OF HUNTER’S PARENTS ATTENDED IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY. HIS DAD JOSH PLAYED DEFENSIVE END FOR THE BENGALS FROM 1994-1996. HAYS EARNED FIRST-TEAM ALL BIG SKY CONFERENCE HONORS TWICE, IN 1995 AND 1996. AT THE TIME OF HIS GRADUATION HE HELD THE ISU QUARTERBACK SACK RECORD FOR GAMES (FIVE), SEASON (16.5) AND CAREER (42.5). HE WAS ALSO NAMED ALL CONFERENCE FIRST-TEAM ACADEMIC ALL CONFERENCE AND AN ALL-AMERICAN SELECTION IN 1996. COACH HAYS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO SEE HIS SON GO TO IDAHO STATE.
“JUST AN AWESOME FEELING AND IT’S COOL TO BE HIS DAD AND GET TO WATCH HIM HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. I GOT TO SEE, BEHIND THE SCENES, ALL THE HARD WORK AND TIME AND EFFORT THAT HE PUT INTO THE SPORT AND JUST TRYING TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HIM GO TO WHERE I PLAYED AND GET BACK THERE AND SEE ALL OF THE STUFF AND THINGS… IT WAS JUST A REALLY NEAT, ITS JUST BEEN A REALLY NEAT TIME FOR US.”
COACH HAYS HAS HAYS GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AS A PLAYER BUT NEVER AS A PARENT. HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS WAS LIKE AS A DAD AND WHAT HIS ROLE WAS.
“IT WAS A UNIQUE PROCESS. ITS CHANGED SO MUCH, SINCE TAMMY AND I WENT THROUGH IT AND SO WE REALLY FEEL LIKE OUR ROLE WAS TO JUST SUPPORT HUNTER IN WHAT HE WAS DOING. NOT BE OVERBEARING OR PUSH HIM ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BUT JUST TRY TO HELP GUIDE HIM WHEN HE HAD QUESTIONS AND JUST WALK HIM AND SUPPORT HIM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.”
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