James-Era UW Fullback Walt Hunt (1963-2022) Passes Away
Welcoming in the new year, Walt Hunt posted a photo of his feet on Facebook. His well-traveled ankles and toes, and presumably the rest of him, were on a beach, in a good place.
That was Hunt, a former University of Washington fullback when that position really meant something to Husky football and the I formation was in vogue, who was someone with a yen for life and an obvious sense of humor.
It's comforting to know that just a few weeks ago Hunt was able to experience the sand and the waves one last time because on Sunday he passed away from a long battle with heart disease. He was 58.
Hunt will be remembered as this big back who played for four Husky bowl teams, making his final appearance in a 28-17 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners at the 1985 Orange Bowl in Miami.
Walt Hunt is shown with his wife Lisa and son Walt.
He was someone who was supposed to vacate the position when Don James' coaching staff brought in another fullback in Rick Fenney, one of the highest recruited UW players of the 1980s.
Instead, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound Hunt made Fenney work for it, relegating the touted newcomer to back-up duty for a season before splitting the job with him during their second and final go-round together.
"Walt the competitor was fierce," former UW offensive tackle and teammate Don Dow said. "He would not back down for anybody. I think that was probably what Coach James and the staff admired about him most."
Walt Hunt was hard to bring down.
UW
Born in South Carolina, Hunt initially grew up in Ohio and played high school football for a season before moving to the Seattle area. He drew a lot of attention to himself at Highline High School as this scary looking and oversized running back and linebacker who wore No. 89.
Dow and fellow offensive lineman Scott Faucett hosted Hunt on his Husky recruiting trip, showed him around and were impressed by his demeanor.
"From moment one, he was a confident and relaxed guy," Dow recalled.
At the UW, Hunt became an 11-game starter at fullback as a junior in 1983. He scored touchdowns against Northwestern, Michigan and UCLA that season. As a senior, he started six games while Fenney opened the other six. He had a two-TD game against Houston.
In the Husky locker room, Hunt was always the mischief-maker who kept other players on the run and on the lookout for him.
"I recall he could really snap a towel," Dow said. "He could really scurry guys right out of the shower with his talent with a towel."
Walt Hunt runs up the middle at Michigan.
UW
Hunt later owned his own construction company that built commercial buildings throughout the region. He was a family man with a son, another Walt, who currently plays college baseball in Iowa.
In the middle of the football season, Hunt underwent a heart procedure at the University of Washington Medical Center that enabled him to attend Husky games again and he encountered Dow where the boats tie up at the stadium.
"It's just very sad; it's way too early," Dow said. "He fought heart disease for a while. In fact, I remember seeing him on the dock, and he said he'd had a procedure and had stents put in, and said he felt the best he'd felt in years."
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