Hunter is coming on for UF

<p>Florida defensive line coach Dan McCarney knew Omar Hunter was in the zone against Arkansas.</p><p>All he had to do was look into his defensive lineman's eyes.</p><p>"I knew he was playing good," McCarney said.</p><p>Looking at tape and checking out the stat book only solidified McCarney's feelings.</p><p>In his first significant action as a Gator since arriving on campus last summer, the redshirt freshman stood in at defensive tackle for injured linemen Lawrence Marsh and Jaye Howard and found himself flying around the Razorbacks' backfield on his way to tying for a team-high six tackles.</p><p>"Rarely do you get a nose guard that makes (six tackles)," McCarney said. "He did it because of effort and technique. I’m real proud of him. The best thing is, his best days are in front of him."</p><p>Hunter, not one for bragging, said his performance was "OK" and that improvement is needed.</p><p>For now, he's more relived than anything.</p><p>After injuries plagued his first year on campus, Hunter went from high school phenom to possible bust.</p><p>It didn't help that coach Urban Meyer showered him with Tim Tebow-like hype before he even stepped foot in Gainesville.</p><p>He was a late addition to the Gators' 2008 class after originally committing to Notre Dame. His stock skyrocketed toward the end of his senior year, when he finished as the nation's No. 2 defensive tackle and seventh-best player overall, according to Rivals.com.</p><p>Hunter said the fame didn't bother him. He didn't pay attention to what his coach was saying. Unfortunately for Hunter, when the injuries began to mount, attention was immediately turned to that preseason hype.</p><p>Hunter arrived in what he calls "decent shape," weighing a hefty 308 pounds. Then came a devastating back injury that sidelined him for most of the summer and the start of the 2008 fall practice. Next an ankle injury bothered him. Finally, a nagging elbow issue cost him his season.</p><p>Hunter said he ballooned to 330 pounds because of his health and inactivity.</p><p>"That was a rough period of time when I got hurt, got out of shape and wasn’t able to play football," he said. "It felt like three years and it was only a year."</p><p>When spring practiced rolled around, Hunter changed his approach. He set the pity aside and adjusted his diet and exercise methods. He cut some red meat and added strenuous conditioning. He put down the junk food and picked up a few more dumbbells.</p><p>Now, Hunter, who has played in all six games as apposed to just three a year ago, is in the "best shape" of his life at 295 pounds and says he finally feels like a football player again.</p><p>"Getting on the field and being around those guys, I feel like I'm part of the team," he said.</p><p>Hunter has done so much, he can actually say he has things to improve on. Ironically, it's his criticism of his own run-stopping ability that brings a smile to his face.</p><p>McCarney has seen a different player in '09. Hunter constantly asks McCarney veterans around him how to get better. Where to go. What to do. He's putting in extra time on the practice field and film room.</p><p>With the middle of Florida's line battered and bruised, McCarney hopes Hunter's positive trends continue. His injury-riddled past would be a concern for McCarney if he wasn't so impressed with the transformation Hunter's made in a year.</p><p>"That’s physically the toughest position to play in college football," he said. "It takes time to mature and grow into that position. He’s sure done that."</p>