Listed as an “athlete” to a starting quarterback is quite a journey, but it’s one that Karst Hunter has gone through.

He transferred from South Dakota State University where he saw time on special teams and at wide receiver. This season he transferred to Colorado Mesa University (CMU) and won the starting quarterback job.

“We had a really good quarterback room I thought, we had another transfer Christian Moore, and the previous quarterback Gavin Herberg. They are very talented guys, and they told me before I got here that ‘you would have to show it and you would have to win the job, it wasn’t just going to be given.’ When it finally came out that I did win the job, it was good to feel like I earned it and I finally got the job done. Credit to those guys too, they are really good players and we push each other every day,” Hunter said.

It wasn’t given to him; he won the team in the offseason both on the field and off the field. According to Head Coach Tremaine Jackson, Hunter was on campus a month before team workouts to get to know the team.

“For me, it’s the way he manages the game and protects the football. Most guys, you see the balls go up and they just throw them to try to take a shot get their yardage up. If it isn’t there, he won’t take it, he’s not going to put our team in a bad situation, to put our defense in a bad situation just because he thought something was there,” Jackson said, “He’s going to really analyze it and do what he’s been coached to do. That’s what has been most impressive, probably one of the main reasons that he won the job is because he takes care of the football.”

CMU has three new starting receivers and a new starting running back that all transferred in. That extra time was crucial for the Maverick’s and it has shown in camp and the regular season.

“It was different because you have to get used to a new quarterback and the quarterback has to get used to a receiver. So, it was just all about gelling and getting on the same page,” Graduate student wide receiver Elijah Lilly said.

Being out here in the summer was really helpful because it allowed us time to really focus on each other and get the communication down, the route running, how he wants to throw certain passes and how he wants me to run certain routes. I think it is beneficial for us both to be out here this summer.”

Hunter describes his style of play as a guy who can get it done both on the ground and in the air.

“Another thing that I like about Karst is a big guy, but he’s pretty fast. Looking at him you wouldn’t think that he is pretty fast, but when Karst gets out there in the open field, he is pretty fast and from the first game, I’m pretty sure everybody could tell that he is hard to bring down, so that was something that surprised me too because I didn’t know how that was going to go because in practice you can’t touch the quarterback, but Karst he does it all.” Lilly said.

Hunter has thrown for five touchdowns and 616 passing yards so far this season. He has recorded two rushing touchdowns to go along with it. In his first game, he threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns without committing a turnover against William Jewell College.

He has led the offense to a total of 96 points this season which is an average of 48 points per game.

“We just want to be the best offense in the nation, and that comes with a lot of work. You’ve got to watch film a lot, you’ve got to execute day in and day out, you’ve got to do the right things. Stay disciplined, coach Jackson stressed that a lot, stay disciplined, do the little things. The way you do little things is the way you do all things,” Hunter said. [10:20]

Hunter is driven by a unique motivation: Kelsey Kicking Cancer.

This is something you will see written on Hunter’s tape on gameday to symbolize his sister who is battling with cancer. It motivates him to keep fighting every day because his sister is doing the same.

“It motivates me a lot knowing that she would do anything. What I’m doing now isn’t as hard as what she’s had to do, so I can do this, or I can do that. Just being out on the field or making plays, you never know, you never know what could happen,” Hunter said. “You never know if you are healthy or not, so it gives me a lot more motivation because it makes me play for something bigger than myself. It just increases that level of play day in and day out even in practice, lifts, school, everything.”

The Maverick’s next game is Saturday, Sept. 25 against Chadron State College at 1:00 p.m. at Stocker Stadium.