Joel Hunt

Joel Hunt was born in Texico, New Mexico in Curry County and graduated from Texico High School.  He attended Texas A&M University and was quarterback of the football team under Coach Dana X. Bible.  Joel was named to the All-Southwest Conference team all three years. 

At Texas A&M, his teams had a combined record of 20-4-3 and were conference champions in 1925 and 1927.  During his career, he scored 30 touchdowns, which was a school record for 63 years.  He also played defense.  In one notable game against Southern Methodist University in 1927, Hunt scored 3 touchdowns, punted for an average of 40 yards and intercepted 4 passes in the Aggies' 39-13 win over the Mustangs.  He was 5-10 and weighed 162 pounds his senior year.  Joel was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967.

At Texas A&M, his teams had a combined record of 20-4-3 and were conference champions in 1925 and 1927.  During his career, he scored 30 touchdowns, which was a school record for 63 years.  He also played defense.  In one notable game against Southern Methodist University in 1927, Hunt scored 3 touchdowns, punted for an average of 40 yards and intercepted 4 passes in the Aggies' 39-13 win.  He was 5-10 and weighed 162 pounds his senior year.  Joel was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967.

Following his exit from Texas A&M, Joel was head football coach at Marshall Junior College in Texas from 1928-1929, head football coach at Georgia 1938 and at Wyoming 1939. He then returned to Texas A&M where he was assistant coach from 1930-1932, assistant coach at University of Houston 1955, followed by positions at Louisiana State University from 1933-1936, 1940-1941 and from 1945-1947. He joined the pros as assistant with the Buffalo Bills in 1949, Baltimore Colts in 1950. In 1949-52 he served in the Army Air Corps, rising to the rank of Captain. In 1951-1953 he was a salesman for Wilson Sporting Goods. He also played professional baseball, mostly in the minor leagues, but reached the big leagues for 16 games in 1931-32 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Joel was undoubtedly an excellent all around athlete.  It is said that some of the best compliments are those one receives from an opponent.  Rice head coach John Heisman said of Hunt that he was "the greatest all-around player I ever saw."  Hunt died at the age of 72 in Teague, Texas in 1978.