I-State becomes first offer for promising 2023 Oklahoma RB

Although a high ankle sprain in his right leg cost him much of his freshman season on the varsity team, an Oklahoma running back showed enough on the basketball court this winter to show Iowa State coaches he was over his injury and worthy of an early offer.

Oklahoma City Millwood rising sophomore Rickey Hunt, who showed game-breaking potential in the opening week of his high school career, saw his 2019 season end prematurely. But that didn’t deter the youngster from working hard to get back to full health.

College recruiters have taken notice, especially Joel Gordon at Iowa State who extended an offer to the Class of 2023 prospect last month.

“I previously got hurt in our second game, so we’ve been working for me to get back,” said Hunt. “I’ve been rehabbing and everything. We’ve been posting workout videos from my comeback. It was during basketball season and I made this huge play on the ankle that I’d recently hurt. I think I dunked on somebody and that showed how good I jumped on it. We posted it up on Twitter and our coaches sent it out to everybody, saying I was 100 percent back.

“My running back coach was in contact with everybody, including Coach (Joel) Gordon at Iowa State. My coaches told me that he was looking at me. I got in contact with him to see how he was doing and they gave me the offer. I told them how every day I was working on my ankle to get it back. I gave them my tape and everything on my comeback and how strong my ankle was. I gave them a big play. That’s how it all started.”

Prior to having his season end due to the injury, the 6-foot-0, 175-pound Hunt rushed for 278 yards in the season opener and scored on an 89-yard touchdown run in the game he left early.

It’s been a long road, but Hunt said he’s ready for even bigger things as a sophomore.

“I’m 100 percent now and ready to go,” he said.

Since Gordon, I-State’s lead recruiter in Oklahoma extended the offer, Hunt said he’s been in contact with the coach on a few occasions.

“I talk to him or I’ll send him a text every now and then,” Hunt said. “I told him I’m going to be supporting them everywhere they go and I’ll be tuning into every game. Iowa State has a great football program. They work on every person every single day. Every athlete. Not just on the football field, but off the field as well. I heard it’s very cold up there and they played a game in the snow. I think that was kind of cool.”

If college campuses open back up this fall to recruits across the country, Hunt said ISU will be one of his first stops.

“I’m ready to see them play this season,” he said. “I’ll most definitely be up for a game if I’m able to visit.”