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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 14 • 11 teammates helped me out, so it was nothing on me, it was just all about the coaching and the team- mates believing in the program and believing in the coaches and playing for them." When Hunt replaced Mostert, he didn't only take over the starter title but saw a significant increase in snaps. For the season, he played 73 percent of them, but that was even higher down the stretch. Coordinator John Shoop said he couldn't afford to keep Hunt off the field. "He had a strong season," Shoop said. "He really got better from one year to the next in terms of making one cut, being more decisive as a runner and really showed some strength as a runner." Hazell thinks not having Hunt for the fourth quarter against In - diana in the finale — Hunt wasn't allowed back on the field for pre- cautionary reasons after slamming his head to the turf, though Hunt insisted he was OK to play — could have cost Purdue the game. Hunt, ultimately, was just proud to prove he could be what some thought he never could, in- cluding himself. "It's a great accomplishment because I never knew I'd be a Big Ten running back. A Big Ten run- ning back, you go through hard winters and everything hurts when it's cold. So performing at that high level and getting as many touches as I did, I proved something to my- self that I am a durable back," he said. "So it was good to know." Of all the things that could be said about Feichter, "durable" wouldn't probably be one of them. But he endured in his final season, playing in all 12 games, and battled through a nagging back injury and then missed only one play against the Hoosiers after getting a shot for a hip pointer. Still, Feichter's toughness and productivity weren't enough to keep him from losing his job. After having two interceptions and 53 tackles over a five-game span, he was benched to start the Minnesota game. He didn't start at Nebraska the next week either, but after Frankie Williams got a concus - sion early, Feichter got the major- ity of the snaps. And all he did was get two second-half interceptions. The next week, he was back in the starting lineup and had 12 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break- up against Wisconsin. In the end, Feicher led the team with 105 tackles and five in- terceptions. It was his second time voted as MVP of the defense. "It was kind of a little bit of a roller coaster, I guess," he said of his final season. "I never knew that my spot was solidified. You could look at it two ways. You could take that and run with it and try to prove people wrong. Or you could sit back and let it affect you. I chose the way where I just ran with it. I didn't agree with it at all. "But at the end of the day, I think I played to where they need - ed to put me out there." Griggs' ability to hold his job was questioned by Hazell through- out training camp. And even when Griggs earned the job for the sea- son opener, it seemed like any kind of stumbling would lead to a quick yank. *Subject to credit approval. No annual fee. Balance transfers and cash advances not eligible for rewards points. Federally insured by NCUA. At home and on the road, the official Purdue Alumni Association Visa ® Credit Card is the best way to pay. Shop at millions of places worldwide and online. Earn rewards points on all your purchases redeemable for unlimited cash back, gift cards and cash donations to the John Purdue Club. BLEED BLACK AND GOLD. Apply today. * PURDUEFED.COM/VISA Tom Campbell Akeem Hunt was named Purdue's offensive MVP after he gained 949 yards on the ground, impressive considering he wasn't a starter at the beginning of the season.