Central Michigan University Athletics
Willie Hill Profile
10/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2003
By Caleb Buhs
Sports Information Intern
If being a successful wide receiver in Division I college football were a puzzle, then Willie Hill would have all the necessary pieces in order to put it together.
He has the speed (holds two high school track records), the strength (bench presses 370 pounds) and even blood lines (his brother played football at Florida and his cousins, Glenn Johnson at Indiana and Eric Green at Virginia Tech, also played college ball).
Willie now has one last chance to prove that he can put together all the pieces to make the picture complete - a breakout season for himself and the Central Michigan University football team.
If you read these senior profiles every Chippewa game day then you would understand that most of the stories involve a player recovering from an injury, and Hill's story is no different.
The interesting twist in Willie's tale is that his injury has made him into a far better player.
"My injury really helped me out," said Hill. "It taught me a lesson that you have to take advantage of every play, every hour and every minute that you are on the field because you never know when it could all end. The coaches used to always tell me that, but I never listened before."
Willie, who was given the nickname "The Thrill" in high school for his game-breaking plays, was practicing through the pain of a slightly torn hamstring during practice last season when his other hamstring suffered the same injury. It sidelined him for the entire year.
"It felt terrible," said Hill. "I had goals and plans and it hurt to not be able to achieve them. But, in the long run it woke me up. It made me work harder then I did before."
Last season was supposed to be Willie's time to shine. He was just coming into his own as a wide receiver after being moved from his defensive back position by head coach Mike DeBord during his freshman season, a move that he didn't enjoy at first.
"When coach DeBord told me he was moving me to receiver I was mad," explained Hill. "For a couple of weeks, I didn't lift or run. It was heartbreaking because I had plans of playing defensive back and making the NFL someday."
Hill spent his first couple of seasons at wideout just walking through the motions. He used his pure talent to get by and even showed flashes of greatness catching six passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns against Toledo and grabbing six passes for 86 yards and a score against Ball State in 2001.
Even with solid performances his will to learn the game and improve were still not there ... until his injury changed his outlook.
"Even though I had some good games I didn't accept being a receiver," said Hill. "I wasn't confident, for awhile I didn't like football.
"After the injury I changed my entire outlook. I began to accept what the coaches said and tried to work on every aspect of my game."
The change in attitude has paid off through the first two games this season. Willie grabbed five passes for 53 yards against the University of Michigan and caught eight passes for 65 yards against New Hampshire.
But, his new desire to achieve perfection has not let him rest on his laurels.
"People have been telling me what a good job I am doing," explained Willie. "I look at the game tapes and see that I have a lot of work to do. In the Michigan game I could have blocked a lot better and I want improve in every aspect of the game."
Willie hopes that his new found dedication to the game will produce big results by the end of the year. He wants to set an example for CMU players for years to come.
"I don't want to be known as a guy who was always hurt," said Hill. "I have a lot of work to do, but the knowledge and technique is coming and hopefully by midseason it will be even further along.
"I want to be an example of how coach DeBord can change you into a more complete football player."
Willie has big aspirations of playing football beyond his days at CMU.
"I want to play in the NFL someday," said Hill. "I am not going to look that far ahead right now, though. I am just going to take things moment by moment and do the best that I can do."
If his progress continues at the pace it has been so far this season then Willie may still end up thrilling people on Sundays in the future.
