After missing all of '14, Chartiers Valley grad Kuntz back to anchor Duquesne's defense

Football players are no strangers to ACL tears. Duquesne redshirt junior linebacker Christian Kuntz was just one more in a long line of players who had to endure the pain and frustration of the injury.

But Kuntz's frustration was compounded because of how he tore the ACL and meniscus in his left knee: It was during a pickup basketball game between the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

The Chartiers Valley graduate was anticipating a big junior year after compiling 74 tackles (19 ¹⁄₂ for loss), nine sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles as a sophomore. His performance earned him first-team All-Northeast Conference honors and third-team All-America status from Sports Network.

Instead, Kuntz watched from the sidelines as his team played without him.

“It was kind of a shock,” Kuntz said. “A lot of people weren't happy with me. I wasn't happy with myself, so it was kind of tough. But things happen, and you just have to move on from them.”

Kuntz recovered from the surgery in time to take part in team activities during the past offseason, including spring practice. On Sept. 5, he was back on the field helping the Dukes rout Kentucky Christian, 47-7.

Kuntz, like many of the starters in the blowout, played only the first half. He made three total tackles, two for losses.

“Physically, I feel better than I ever have before,” he said. “I'm faster and stronger. Emotionally, it was just great being back out there. Missing a whole year kind of stinks. I put in a lot of work, and I was happy to get out there with the rest of the guys.”

One of the guys he got to be on the field with was former high school teammate Wayne Capers Jr. Capers transferred to Duquesne from Arizona last season and moved from defensive back to wide receiver.

Now the two friends get to go against each other in practice on a daily basis.

“I grew up with Wayne, so it's like having a brother on the offensive side who I can have some fun with and talk trash to in practice,” Kuntz said. “But Wayne is such a competitor and he's so good at what he does, he kind of keeps me on my feet and lets me know if I'm slacking and have to pick it up or I'll get ran by by him or something.

“I don't want that because I'll hear it for the whole year.”

But Capers' trash talk is music to Kuntz's ears after a year of being relegated to spectator.

Kuntz had surgery to repair his knee in May 2014 then took until the following February to go through the rehab. Because he had plenty of time between the surgery and the beginning of 2015 spring workouts, he took the rehab slowly.

There were moments, he said, when he worried that he wouldn't be able to play with the same effectiveness. But after conversations with others who had ACL surgery and the Duquesne training staff, with whom Kuntz said he became close, he was assured he could play at a high level once more.

So Kuntz kept working. In the meantime, he remained involved with the team. He attended every practice and was on the sidelines for every home game serving as a de facto linebackers coach.

The extended time on the sidelines enabled him to observe what the other linebackers were doing and pick up some pointers and strategies that he hopes can help him this year.

Physically, because the intense training he put in during rehab, Kuntz might be better than before the injury. He added nearly 10 pounds of muscle — he said he played at about 211 pounds as a sophomore but now is closer to 220 — and said he feels quicker.

And because he was able to play during the spring, he said he was over the mental hurdles of the knee injury before he stepped on Rooney Field to face Kentucky Christian.

“Everything was great,” he said. “I'm back to 100 percent, and I'm keeping it rolling now, hopefully.”

Kuntz and the Dukes hope to roll to the top of the NEC this season. Experience, he said, will be working in the Dukes' favor as they have several players from his recruiting class who have seen a lot of playing time over the past three seasons.

For his own part, Kuntz isn't worrying about reclaiming his first-team all-conference status. He gladly will trade it for an NEC title and a trip to the FCS playoffs.

“Everyone wants to make the all-conference team, but as long as we're winning I don't care what goes on with me,” he said. “I just want to win games and win the conference.”

Chuck Curti is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at ccurti@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CCurti_Trib.