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Hounds getting Hunter back

PORTALES — He won’t be 100 percent, but senior wide receiver Derrick Hunter is scheduled to see his first action of the football season when Eastern New Mexico University meets Southwestern Oklahoma in a 5 p.m. (MDT) kickoff on Saturday in Weatherford, Okla.

An All-Lone Star Conference South Division selection last year, Hunter suffered a strained ligament and bruised bone near his right knee in one of the Greyhounds’ first practices last month.

First-year coach Mark Ribaudo wants to bring the 6-foot, 180-pounder along slowly, but also knows the Hounds need him.

“He’s just a difference-maker,” Ribaudo said. “You have to decide, as a defensive coordinator, are you going to leave him single-covered? If he’s double-covered, that leaves things open with our option (game).”

Hunter, who caught 51 passes for 829 yards and a touchdown last year, will have to wear a knee brace but said he is anxious to play.

“I feel pretty good right now,” he said. “I’m ready to get out there and give it a shot.”

While the brace takes some getting used to, Hunter said he doesn’t think it’ll hinder him. Right now, he just wants to play and give the Hounds another threat.

“It’ll definitely help the running game,” he said. “A lot of teams have been walking a safety up (to help against the run), but hopefully they won’t be able to do that now.”

Draco Miller, who coaches ENMU’s tight ends and wide receivers, said nobody knows for sure how things will go. Still, having Hunter out there can only help.

“We’re looking to get some things out of Derrick this week,” Miller said. “Practice will tell us just what he can do.

“It’s still a gametime situation, but if he can go catch the deep balls like he normally does, it’ll be good for us.”

Other injuries — While Hunter is coming back, Ribaudo said several others are nursing injuries.

Junior running back Fide Davalos (hamstring) played last week against Southeastern Oklahoma, but is still less than 100 percent. Senior cornerback-kick returner Corey White (ankle) is questionable after playing only in the first series against the Savages.

Meantime, sophomore defensive end Olie Fitts (Achilles) is expected to miss his third consecutive game, and sophomore running back J.J. Jennings (ankle) remains questionable. Jennings also has not played in the first two games.

Progress report — Despite the team’s second consecutive 0-2 start against rugged foes in Central Arkansas and Southeastern, Ribaudo said the Hounds are “about where we thought we’d be” at this point of the season.

“We’re young, and you’ve just got to take it one step at a time with a young team,” he said. “But I think we’re progressing, no doubt about it.”

ENMU hopes Southwestern (1-1) provides a similar tonic to last season, when the Hounds routed the Bulldogs 39-0 at Blackwater Draw in the third week.