Titans’ Whisenhunt: ‘you’re seeing just a glimpse of what [Justin Hunter] can be’
Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter was out to prove he wasn’t “just another guy.” He had it on his uniform at practice for a while, abbreviated as “JAG.” He first heard the phrase after he failed to convert a route a week ago.
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He proved it.
Hunter racked up a pair of touchdowns and 111 yard against the Saints. His coach saw it coming, but he knows that there’s a long way to go before such a performance becomes common place for Hunter.
“I think you’re seeing just a glimpse of what he can be, but because of what he did last night, let’s not make the mistake and think he’s, by any stretch, close to what he can be,” Whisenhunt said at his Saturday news conference. “There are a lot of things, from route depth to discipline on his releases, where even though he made some big plays last night, those have got to become more consistent.
“So he’s still got a lot of work to do. I’m excited for two things: No. 1 because he can make those big plays; and No. 2, because he seems to have the right mindset to work on those two things. Part of being a young player is you’ve got to be able to do that yourself. Right now, he has to be reminded at times to do that. Not from a negative standpoint, just because there is a lot going on. …
“I’m seeing growth, we’ve just got to continue to see that.”
Whisenhunt is surprisingly tough on his second-year wide receiver, but likely because he knows the young pass catcher can handle it. He expects Hunter to be better — a little ribbing could be the first step.