On The Plains with Hunter Herring: 'Stick with it'

Hunter Herring’s football journey has never followed a straight line, but it has always kept moving forward.

From the moment he first picked up a football at around age seven, the Auburn tight end remembers being drawn to the game.

“I think I started playing when I was seven,” Herring said. “I’m going to be honest, it’s been a while. I don’t remember a whole lot. I don’t know if I had a favorite coach. Growing up, I was a big Ben Roethlisberger fan. I had a No. 7 Steelers jersey and was super excited about it. I used to wear it to practice all the time. Looking back, people were probably wondering what I was doing, but I loved it. He was probably my biggest influence growing up.”

That early admiration for football grew into a career that eventually took him from Louisiana to the SEC, but not without major changes along the way. After spending most of his life playing quarterback, the West Monroe native has officially made the transition to tight end here at Auburn.

“It’s been crazy,” Herring said. “I started at UL (Louisiana-Lafayette) and spent two years there. Then I transferred back home (ULM) because of some injury issues and spent three years there before making the transition to Auburn.

“It’s completely different,” Herring added of being in the tight end room. “It’s cool to see another side of the game. Practice is different. Playing tight end now means every day is physical. As a quarterback, you’re not getting touched. It’s more mental. It’s been a crazy journey, but I’ve had a great support system around me, and that has made it much easier.”

Herring began his college career as a quarterback, a position that challenged him in ways the other roles never had.

“Probably quarterback,” Herring said when asked which position was most challenging. “Every week you’re seeing different defenses, and defensive coaches get paid too, they’re trying to trick you. Quarterback is definitely the most challenging.”

As time went on, he shifted into several different roles, playing tight end, contributing on special teams, and running wildcat packages. That shift gave him a whole new way of looking at the game.

“Now that I’m playing tight end, I get to see the physical side of the game,” Herring said. “Understanding the X’s and O’s was never an issue, but now I’m learning all the techniques. As a quarterback, if a tight end missed a block, I might think, ‘We can’t let that happen.’ Now that I’m on this side of it, I realize there’s a lot more to it than just putting your hands in the right place. It’s been really interesting.”

Through injuries, position changes, and setbacks, one constant has remained in Herring’s life: his family.

“I have three brothers, and [my mom] has done everything for us,” Herring said. “She never missed a game or a practice. She worked two jobs to make sure we had everything we needed. No matter how hard things get for me, I think about what she went through. I want all of this to pay off for her.”

Herring’s football journey has also included moments of doubt, especially after injuries changed the trajectory of his career.

“If you had asked me a year ago whether I’d be playing at Auburn, I probably would’ve said you were crazy,” Herring said. “You have to stay true to who you are and keep going no matter what gets thrown at you.”

That mindset is what he credits most for keeping him in the game.

“It might sound cliché, but perseverance,” Herring said. “I’ve dealt with a lot of injuries, and football mirrors life in that way. Life is going to throw things at you. You just have to stay the course.”

Since arriving on campus, Herring has embraced both the football environment and the culture at Auburn.

“It’s hard not to mention the stadium,” Herring said. “Being right in the middle of everything is awesome. I still get chills thinking about it. I’m ready to play there.”

Auburn’s SEC environment has also stood out compared to his previous programs.

“I’ve played Group of Five football, and there’s great football there, but everybody knows the SEC is the highest level,” Herring said. “This is where all the eyes are. Everything is under a microscope – the workouts, the conditioning, the details. It’s intense, but that’s what makes it awesome.”

His adjustment has been helped by relationships within the program, especially in the tight end room and with his roommate and fellow tight end Jake Johnson.

“Jake is an awesome guy,” Herring said. “Being in the tight end room with him helps a lot. He’s been a great resource as I’ve learned the position. At this point we’re almost like brothers because we spend so much time together.”

Beyond football, Herring has interests that include surfing and music and hopes to eventually use his biology degree from ULM to get into medical sales. But in this stage of life, his focus remains on what immediately lies ahead.

“Absolutely,” Herring said when asked about the NFL. “That’s the main goal.”

Looking back, he knows how far he has come—and how much has been required to keep going.

“Honestly, just sticking with it,” Herring said. “I’ve had two season-ending injuries – a sports hernia and a broken collarbone. The rehab process is hard physically and mentally. Those experiences have made me appreciate every opportunity I get to be healthy and play.”

For Herring, the journey is still unfolding—but the mindset has stayed the same from the beginning.

“Stick with it,” he said.