Khalid Hill: Michigan's Human Battering Ram
9/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Khalid Hill is difficult to deny when he gets a whiff of the end zone.
The University of Michigan fullback, converted from tight end this season, is 6-foot-2 and 263 pounds -- a human battering ram at the goal line.
He leads the No. 4 Wolverines with three rushing touchdowns after wins over Hawaii and Central Florida by a combined score of 114-17. He was asked what his reaction would've been two years ago to someone saying he'd top the team in that category.
"I couldn't believe it," Hill said. "Let's be honest, I wouldn't believe it. That's just a great feeling. It's a great accomplishment, but I just want to keep getting better and score more touchdowns.
"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."
Hill scored Michigan's second touchdown on a third-and-goal play late in the first quarter of Saturday's (Sept. 10) 51-14 win over UCF.
He ran up the middle for two yards, barreling through a hole, rolling onto his back and holding the pigskin high with his right hand. He stood up, clapped and slapped hands with receiver Amara Darboh, who patted him on the helmet before they jogged to the sideline.
"I just tried to shoot the gap as hard as I could," said Hill.
It was an important score that made it 14-0, and the Wolverines scored another 17 points before UCF answered with a touchdown.
Hill's second touchdown of the game came early in the third quarter. He was limited to one yard on a first-down carry but barreled up the middle again for the one yard needed to score on second down.
"On (first down)," said Hill, "they kind of could see it was coming and I got stopped. I told Coach (Harbaugh), 'I've got a feel for it, let's run it again.' He gave it to me again and I got in the end zone."
Tailback De'Veon Smith extended a hand to lift him off the ground and celebrate. Take note: Do not challenge Smith in arm wrestling.
That gave Hill three rushing touchdowns -- exactly half of the team-high six Smith had in 2015 -- and prompted ESPN analyst and former Wolverines quarterback great Brian Griese to say:
"Is there fantasy (football) in college football? If so, I think I might draft Khalid Hill. It looks like he's going to get a lot of short-yardage situations on the goal line."
Hill played 18 games at tight end, starting six of them, and had talent at that position. However, All-America tight end Jake Butt is the starter, Ian Bunting is solid for double-tight end formations, and a number of blue-chip tight ends have been added in the last two recruiting classes.
Meanwhile, the top two fullbacks from last season, Sione Houma (five touchdowns in 2015) and co-captain Joe Kerridge, were seniors. Hill and fellow former tight end Henry Poggi moved to fullback to fill the void.
"Last year," said Hill, "I played fullback a little bit at the end of the year. They liked me at the position, and I said, 'Let's do it.' It wasn't a big shock for me to get that role. I have a lot of weight on my shoulders to make some big blocks for the running backs to make sure they're free, and protect the quarterbacks, and also run the ball."
How has the transition to becoming a ball carrier gone?
"This takes a lot more work on handoffs," said Hill. "I've got a lot more to prove there. I haven't really had a chance to break out on a run. I had one run (Saturday) where I got stopped in the backfield and tripped on my feet. So, I have to get my feet better on breaking and making cuts. I want to improve on that.
"At first, I was kind of shaky because I wasn't used to getting the ball, and getting the ball put away, and I'm still improving on that, and what you do when the play breaks. I'm working as hard as I can to get better at that."
He has six carries for 13 yards.
Had he ever been in the backfield before at any playing level?
"I was 10 years old and playing in Little League," said Hill, who attended East English Village Prep Academy in Detroit. "That's the last time I played running back. I was little back then."
Hill chuckled at that thought.
He also has one catch for seven yards this season and had seven receptions for 84 yards as a tight end.
He split wide on one pass play against UCF.
Hill said of the Knights defenders: "They looked and said, 'He's over here! He's over here!' It was kind of like, 'What's he doing over here? He plays fullback.' "
He's enjoying his new role, and relishing the sensation of scoring touchdowns in the Big House.
"It doesn't hit you until you see everyone running at you, shouting, "Ahhhhhh!' You just don't know what to do, but you just celebrate with your guys. You can hear the crowd, too. They're very loud."
Hill beamed, living his own version of fantasy football.
