Central's Tray Kuntz, son of former UND all-conference linebacker, commits to Fighting Hawks
Jun. 28—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Central's Tray Kuntz remembers putting on his dad's old UND football helmet when he was a kid.
"It hurt my head because it was too big for me and there was almost no padding," Kuntz said.
On Wednesday, Kuntz made a decision to be putting on a UND football helmet of his own when he starts college.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end and senior-to-be gave his verbal commitment as a preferred walk-on for the Fighting Hawks.
"I would watch his old highlights and game film, so it's awesome now to finally be able to go do that myself," Kuntz said. "It's just a dream come true."
Tray's dad Mike Kuntz was an all-conference linebacker for UND in 1993. The athletic family also saw older brother Zak Kuntz, a 2016 Grand Forks Red River graduate, play fullback at North Dakota State before a career-ending injury, while his sister Quinn Kuntz was a senior goalie last season on Ohio State's national runner-up team in women's hockey.
Kuntz was the EDC's third-leading receiver in 2022 with 36 catches for 490 yards and three touchdowns as the Knights made the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
"Tray was a kid you could watch get better every day," Central coach Jake Schauer said. "Going into last year, we knew he was going to be a stud. We consider him to be one of the best tight ends in the state. He's a big, strong kid. He puts a ton of time into his game. He's a very sound football player. He's a very safe walk-on for UND."
Schauer said the Knights used Kuntz as both a run-blocking and pass-catching tight end, with about 70 percent of his snaps featuring Kuntz split out wide.
Kuntz said UND's staff also sees a versatile tight end.
"(The UND coaching staff) knows where to put people and use their skills best," Kuntz said. "Once I get there, they'll figure out what I'm best at and figure out where I'm best to make the team better."
Kuntz is the second Central player to commit to UND football in less than a week.
Erick Paye, who credited Kuntz for encouraging him to try football last season for the first time, committed to the Fighting Hawks a few days ago.
"Honestly, I couldn't be more excited," Kuntz said. "I would've played anywhere, I just wanted to play college football. It was my biggest dream to play somewhere and to have that be at UND is almost mind-blowing."
UND's 2024 recruiting class is now at three members with Kuntz, Paye and
Nebraska safety Gunnar Lym
.
* Gunnar Lym, S, Bennington, Neb.
* Erick Paye, DE/OLB, Grand Forks
* Tray Kuntz, TE, Grand Forks
