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By Paul Sokoloski psokoloski@timesleader.com
Times Leader Sports Columnist
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PHILADELPHIA – Dan Connor shot the gap.

Tony Hunt shot right past.

It was just like blast from the past at Penn State University.

But this was no college practice session for the Nittany Lions, circa 2006. It was a preseason NFL exhibition game, and it may have been the most important run of Hunt’s professional football career.

Mixed in among a slew of running backs in the Philadelphia Eagles backfield, Hunt distinguished himself Thursday with a game-winning 51-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“It helps as far as confidence, coming out of training camp and not really getting a lot of carries,” said Hunt, whose scoring burst with 2:15 remaining lifted the Eagles to a 24-13 victory over Connor’s Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field. “Every time you step on the field, you just want to do something positive.

“I feel like I did a lot.”

After providing a night of stellar special teams play, Hunt punctuated his performance with a dazzling display of speed and agility while finishing as the Eagles leading rusher with five carries for 79 yards. That’s the kind of head-turning ability Penn State fans grew accustomed to while watching Hunt become the Lions’ all-time leader with 654 carries while gaining 3,320 yards to finish second in history on the school’s career rushing list.

In Philadelphia’s preseason home opener, Hunt darted back to those good old days.

The Eagles sent him off-tackle while taking advantage of the aggressiveness of Connor – a rookie linebacker who became Penn State’s all-time leading tackler before being drafted in the third round of April’s NFL Draft.

In a blink, Hunt turned it into a touchdown, as Connor ran past the play and Hunt dashed through the vacated hole and past everyone – cutting back to his left while gliding down the field and into the end zone to give the Eagles a 17-13 lead..

“It was kind of fun,” Hunt, a second-year Eagles running back, said of facing a defense that included his old Nittany Lions teammate on the other side. “Just what I’m used to. It was almost like being back at Penn State. I thought it was actually kind of funny.”

Not that Hunt’s had much reason to smile since leaving Happy Valley.

As an NFL rookie with the Eagles last year, Hunt carried the ball just 10 times for 16 yards during Philadelphia’s 2007 season – where he was inactive for six of the team’s 16 games and didn’t play in two others.

He didn’t get much more work in a backfield overflowing with big names during Eagles training camp this summer. Pro Bowl starter Brian Westbrook just signed a new contract, eighth-year pro Correll Buckhalter’s in bull-dozing form and Lorenzo Booker’s making a splash after arriving in a trade with Miami.

Throw in speedy fourth-year running back Ryan Moats, and that doesn’t leave a lot of space for Hunt to fit in when the Eagles finalize their 53-man roster later this month.

“I’ve been here one year,” said Hunt, fully aware that his back’s against the wall with time running out. “I’m in the backfield with a Pro Bowler (Westbrook) and ‘Buck.’ There really isn’t much room on the field.

“You’re just got to be patient.”

But patience was never Hunt’s best virtue. So he’s trying to leave a lasting impression by making an immediate impact on special teams – as Hunt wound up with a solo tackle and an assist in kickoff coverage Thursday.

“That’s what you want to do, make plays on special teams, too,” Hunt said. “That’s probably the most important thing, to show you can contribute in other ways (besides running the ball). I never played special teams in my life. I just had to get used to accepting that role. That’s not negotiable. That’s the way you can make the football team.”

Apparently, the strategy’s starting to work.

“It was good to see Tony Hunt,” said Eagles coach Andy Reid, who apparently hasn’t noticed Penn State’s second all-time leading rusher in awhile. “I thought he played well, in a lot of areas – special teams and then on offense.”

And if he keeps it up, Hunt just may force his way into a crowded Eagles backfield.

“I just tried to show I know the assignments, that I can pick up the blitzes,” Hunt said. “This is one preseason game. I just want to go out and do the same thing the next preseason game.”