Khalid Hill: Michigan's Human Battering Ram

Submitted by UMProud on

"I'm being called to score touchdowns, but don't make too much of it. I'm just doing my job. Coach (Jim) Harbaugh trusts the fullbacks to produce first downs and touchdowns, and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. But it's good that Coach trusts you in short-yardage situations. For goal-line situations, to have him call on you, to produce, I want to be able to be that guy. Call on me, because I will get that first down."

Hill cut to the right on his four-yard touchdown run against Hawaii and didn't have enough daylight to score. Bulls don't need daylight, though. They just ramble through the china shop with no concerns about paying for the damages. Hill bounced off and plowed through the Rainbow Warriors for his first collegiate touchdown in the opening game of his third season of playing at Michigan.

"They had three huge dudes in the middle," Hill joked, "and so I wasn't just going to run into three huge dudes. I tried to get away from them. So, I just went to the side, saw a gap open and popped my way in."

ESPN analyst Ed Cunningham told viewers: "Obviously a load when he gets started."

Source:  Steve Kornacki, MGoBlue.com, 9/11/2016

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091116aab.html

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Khalid Hill

MGOTokyo

September 12th, 2016 at 5:45 AM ^

-seem to be doing a decent job, so far. But I'm not seeing the speed, pass-catching ability and finesse that we had last year. Let's hope that things still go well when we get to bigger, better opponents.

Joined: 11/20/2014

MGoPoints: 1438

CorkyCole

September 12th, 2016 at 7:54 AM ^

Khalid Hill honestly has the chance to be the best pass catching fullback Michigan has ever had. He was already known to have terrific hands catching the ball. Running the FB was the one question mark on his FB resume that now seems to have been answered. I'm very excited to see what Hill will do this season. No worries on the pass catching front for me.

Joined: 06/13/2011

MGoPoints: 4498

Sam1863

September 12th, 2016 at 7:01 AM ^

Poggi not only caught it, but had the presence of mind to know where the sticks were, and turned a minimal gain into a first down. If I remember the play correctly, Speight did a good job of escaping the rush, knowing where Poggi was, and hitting him with a catchable ball. So ii was a nice play on both ends.

Joined: 04/27/2014

MGoPoints: 28880

LSAClassOf2000

September 12th, 2016 at 7:08 AM ^

The best part of that play was the part where Poggi  turned it into something much more than it could have been by turning upfield and getting a first down. Between that and the two Hill TDs, I am kind of excited at the potential for fullbacks to play not only the role of the "battering ram" but to be the life saver on the odd play as well. 

Still, that play had me saying in the moment, "That was awesome! Let's try to avoid this unless necessary!"

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130632

Goggles Paisano

September 12th, 2016 at 5:52 AM ^

He has done a nice job thus far.  I really like the way he runs the ball. He also got the first down on 4th and 1 against UCF.  He can really be a guy that can make a big play from that FB spot come November.   

Joined: 07/30/2011

MGoPoints: 41232

Yo_Blue

September 12th, 2016 at 7:48 AM ^

Hill fits that old adage that if you need a yard he'll get you three, and if you need ten yards he'll get you three.  Like he said in the interview he is just doing his job.  I like his leg push when he hits the line and the one catch he had Saturday (shown in the OP's picture) showed good hands and good field awareness.  ...and he's only going to get better.

Joined: 08/24/2010

MGoPoints: 102594

FolkstyleCoach

September 12th, 2016 at 6:28 AM ^

"Hill cut to the right on his four-yard touchdown run against Hawaii and didn't have enough daylight to score."

Dudes got skills, he can score touchdowns when he doesn't score!



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Joined: 04/05/2016

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Great Cornholio

September 12th, 2016 at 5:13 PM ^

Of course it won't be well received by the delusional mouth-breathers on the site who think we live in a post-racial world. Bring up anything about race and their insecurity flares up via allegations of "race-baiting." The bottom line, one that the testosterony jabronies tend to miss, is that calling an athlete "well spoken" often comes with the unspoken subtext "which is surprising 'cuz he's a black guy." I've never seen anyone refer to Tom Brady or Jake MF Ryan or Taylor Lewan as "well spoken," although all of them are. Calling a black athlete "well-spoken" is something I'd expect from my old-ass O'Reilly-worshipping Sparty father, not from our own alumni base.

Joined: 01/23/2013

MGoPoints: 3228

JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

September 12th, 2016 at 7:17 AM ^

Hill has already been more of a factor than the two solid fullbacks last season two games in.

Imo, Hill is a better overall football player than both and is an excellent receiver.

He has already shown the ability to grind out short yardage first downs, and has finished off drives near the endzone.

He is just getting started and has another year after this one.

 

Joined: 02/06/2015

MGoPoints: 4079

rbgoblue

September 12th, 2016 at 8:15 AM ^

Would love to see Rashan Gary take a carry or two on the goal line. Dude could get up for the leap over the pile too. Would hate to be the defender that 300 lbs came crashing down on.



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UMForLife

September 12th, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^

I am looking forward to our FBs getting 10 plus TDs along with 20 plus catches this year. Hill did great and with Poggi, we have another set of plays that spread teams don't have.

Joined: 11/04/2013

MGoPoints: 63393

LKLIII

September 12th, 2016 at 10:18 AM ^

IIRC, in Brian's season preview, one of the X factors the listed as to how well this team would do this year was the fullback play. Tomato can early opponents aside, it looks like the early indicators are that the fullback spot is as good or better than what they needed. Once we get the Colorado game under our belt, I'd love to see a "preliminary grades" post prior to Big Ten play where Brian does a mini update on the season preview--have any of our earlier concerns been addressed and if so by how much? Did any old concerns get confirmed or worsen? Did prior areas of confidence turn into concerns?



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Baugh so hard

September 12th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^

I like that the coaches are getting guys like Hill TDs when they could just as easily gotten the other RBs into the endzone in these situations. Gives these guys some reward for the hard work and makes everyone on the roster that moving to FB in this offense isn't a bad thing.

Joined: 02/03/2015

MGoPoints: 1414

Sione's Flow

September 12th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^

I was worried about Hill's transition to FB initially, specifically how well he could adjust to carrying the ball primarily as a runner. So far he's passing with flying colors and his value as a receiving threat can't be overlooked either.

Joined: 06/05/2011

MGoPoints: 5193