Madre Hill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Madre Hill | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Date of birth: | January 2, 1976 |
| Place of birth: |  Malvern, Arkansas |
| Career information | |
| Position(s): | Running back |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Jersey №: | |
| College: | Arkansas |
| NFL Draft: | 1999 / Round: 7 / Pick 207 |
| Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 1999-2000 2001 2002 |
Cleveland Browns Berlin Thunder (NFL Europe) Oakland Raiders |
| Career highlights and Awards | |
| Awards: | 1st Team All-SEC, 1995 |
| Honors: | University of Arkansas All-Decade Team, 1990's |
| Stats at DatabaseFootball.com | |
Madre Hill (born January 2, 1976 in Malvern, Arkansas) is a former American football running back, playing last for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. Considered one of the greatest running backs to come out of the University of Arkansas, Hill was named 1st Team All-SEC in 1995 and was named to the Razorbacks' All-time team for the 1990's. He formerly held the all-time season rushing record for Arkansas high schools and for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
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[edit] High school career
Hill rushed for a then-state record 6,008 yards for Malvern High School and 68 touchdowns. As a senior Hill ran for a state record 2863 yards (broken by Derek Lawson of Nettleton High School in 2006[1]])[2] and led Malvern to a Class AAA State Championship in 1993, running for over 200 yards in the title game. Following his senior year Hill was named Reebok National High School Player of the Year, and was named All-American by USA Today and Blue Chip Illustrated for the second time by each publication. Hill was also a Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year for Arkansas and closed his high school career with 3 All-State and All-District selections[3].
[edit] College career
Hill played collegiately for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1994-98, missing the 1996 and 1997 seasons due to tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in each knee. As a freshman, Hill ran for 351 yards on 74 carries (4.7 avg.), and tied a school record with a 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the LSU Tigers.
In 1995, Hill was named 1st team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC), setting single game school records for rushing attempts (45 against Auburn) and rushing touchdowns (6 against South Carolina) and the school's single season record for rushing attempts (307) and rushing yards (1,387). The season rushing attempts record and rushing yards record have since been broken by Darren McFadden. Hill led the Razorbacks to the SEC Championship Game that season, where they were defeated by Florida 34-3. Hill suffered his first knee injury in that game versus the Gators. The 1995 Hogs finished 8-5 after losing to North Carolina in the Carquest Bowl, without Hill.
In 1998, Hill came back from a two year absence to finish second on the team with 669 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on 160 carries (4.2 avg.), helping the Razorbacks to a 9-3 record and a first place tie for the SEC West Division title with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, in head coach Houston Nutt's first season (Hill's coach from 1994 through 1997 was Danny Ford). Arkansas would lose to Michigan (led by Tom Brady) in the Citrus Bowl on January 1, 1999.
Hill was named to the Arkansas Razorbacks All-Decade Team for the 1990's, and finished his Razorback career with 2,407 yards rushing, good enough for a top ten spot all-time at the university[4].
[edit] Professional career
Hill was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Selected with the first pick of the seventh round, Hill was drafted ahead of players such as Chris Akins and future Pro Bowler Donald Driver. Hill played two seasons with the Browns, playing five games as a kick returner in 1999, returning 8 kicks for 137 yards. Hill spent the 2000 season on injured reserve.
In 2001, Hill played in NFL Europe for the Berlin Thunder, running for 388 yards (5.6 avg.), catching 15 passes for 295 yards (19.7 avg.), returning 7 kicks for 98 yards and scoring four touchdowns (2 rushing, 2 receiving)[5]. The Thunder won World Bowl IX that season, with Hill leading the Thunder in rushing with 31 yards on 8 attempts and catching 4 passes for 35 yards[6].
Hill's final professional season was with the Oakland Raiders in 2002, that year's Super Bowl runner-up. Hill appeared in two games for the Raiders, but compiled no statistics.
[edit] Coaching career
After Hill was released by Raiders during the 2003 pre-season, he returned to the University of Arkansas, where he served as a graduate assistant to head football coach Houston Nutt in 2004. In 2005, Hill was hired by Steve Spurrier at the University of South Carolina as running backs coach. The Gamecocks finished the season with a 7-5 record and were invited to the Independence Bowl, but Hill was fired prior to the bowl game [7].
The 2006 season saw Hill coaching running backs at Florida International University for Don Strock. Following the 0-12 season, Strock resigned, and Hill was fired along with four other assistant coaches by incoming head coach Mario Cristobal[8].
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.nflhs.com/stateStories.aspx?id=10580
- ^ http://www.ahsaa.org/Record%20Book%20-%20Football.pdf
- ^ http://www2.jsonline.com/packer/stat/apr99/rb-hill.asp
- ^ http://www.hogwired.com/pdf2/40494.pdfATCLID=530225&SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100
- ^ http://www.hworth.net/nflel/indexNFLEL.html
- ^ http://touchdownclaymores.com/worldbowl/winners/2001.php
- ^ http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-11928433_ITM
- ^ http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061222/NEWS/612220404/1002/SPORTS
