Auburn Running Back Jarquez Hunter One of the SEC's Best

Just how good has Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter been inside of Hugh Freeze's new offensive system this season? Here are key statistics to draw from; you be the judge.

• Besides long runs like the 53-yard jaunt versus Ole Miss and the 67-yard scamper versus Vanderbilt, Hunter has six total rushes of 20 or more yards on the season, plus 15 rushes of 10 or more yards.
• From just 108 rushing attempts, Hunter has found paydirt 7 times. That’s 6.5% of the time for Hunter scoring a touchdown. For reference, SEC touchdown leader and Ole Miss Rebel Quinshon Judkins has 12 scores from 169 carries, a 7.1% average. Hunter is close behind.
• Auburn relies on Hunter in the fourth quarter as well. He has 91 rushes for 437 yards, a 4.8 average, 25 first-down runs, 4 of his 20-or-more-yard rushes, and 2 touchdowns during fourth-quarter action.
• Hunter is 4th in rushing average among SEC running backs by averaging 5.9 yards per tote.
• As the 2023 season moves forward, Hunter is becoming Auburn’s clearcut bell cow running back. He has 86 rushes during SEC games for an average of 14.3 carries per contest. Further, Hunter is averaging 17 carries from the last three contests versus Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt.
• Hunter has 4 red zone touchdown runs.
• He has also scored at least one rushing touchdown in four of his last five SEC games.
• In total, 6 of the 7 rushing touchdowns have come against SEC competition.
• The Philadelphia (Miss.) Neshoba Central product is not just a runner either. Hunter has 10 receptions during the past four contests, including 3 for 54 yards versus the Rebels.

No doubt about it, Hunter is one of the SEC’s best running backs. Here’s a look back at his big-time run versus Vanderbilt, too: