Coaches from Hilinski’s past on why he’s ready for this moment: ‘He’s fierce, man’
The moments came a few days apart, but not far from one another in Southern California.
What led to South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski getting to start for the Gamecocks in the foreseeable future — Jake Bentley’s foot injury — didn’t inspire any joy. But for J.P. Presley and Tim Kirksey, it was hard not to smile at Hilinski getting his chance.
“Super excited for him and excited for the program and just having that opportunity,” Presley said.
Kirksey found out a few days later, but he “lit up with a smile just because he deserves it. He’s that kind of kid.”
Presley coached Hilinski for three seasons at Orange Lutheran High School in Southern California. Kirksey coaches around 70 miles away at Westlake High but worked with Hilinski for a week at the All-American Bowl right before he enrolled at USC.
Each saw different parts of a young player during his ascent and reflected back as he readies for a next step in his career. What made him stand out is perhaps what could help him step onto a larger stage.
“His ability to walk into a room and command respect is what stood out the most,” Kirksey said. “We’re in a room of alpha dominated-type athletes (from across) the country at that all-star game, and Ryan’s ability to walk in and push himself to the top as a leader immediately when he walked in the room was apparent.”
The root of that was a love of the game, something that came through and washed over other players.
“He’s fierce, man,” Kirksey said.
Presley said he traded texts with Hilinski earlier this week and shared a favorite Bible verse.
The two didn’t go too deep into what Hilinski expects from this weekend, but in a sense, they didn’t have to.
“He’s one of those guys that, this is what he’s prepared for,” Presley said. “I’m sure he’s got the nerves, the butterflies, but he’s got a great poise to him. And he’s been competing his whole life on a really high platform.”
Presley remembers Hilinski working in a pro-style offense as just a sophomore, handing off the ball and grinding out the clock. When Presley went from assistant to head coach, the offense went to a run-pass option spread, and Hilinski flourished. His ability to learn, to read defenses and make quick decisions came into full focus.
And his time at the high school level on the field ensured he would at least be ready to battle long odds.
His conference featured a pair of recent national champion programs and Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. Other powerhouses stocked with next-level talent such as Centennial and Mission Viejo were also on the docket.
He was facing “big-time football that some colleges would rival against talent-wise and resource-wise,” in the words of Elite 11 Director of Player Personnel/Development Joey Roberts.
He was in the stadium watching Hilinski throw for 233 yards against Mission Viejo last season. Hilinski’s team gave up a slew of points on special teams, but the passer had his team close enough for short field goal that missed in a two-point loss.
Roberts knew the Hilinski family name through Ryan’s two older brothers, Tyler and Kelly, who both went through the Elite 11 and Opening process. Roberts had already made his evaluation on Ryan before seeing his name (the process involves blind looks at film) and making the connection to the family and the terrible tragedy of Tyler’s suicide at Washington State earlier that year.
Ryan Hilinski was invited to the regional and performed well enough to advance. But after getting the invite, Ryan’s father, Mark, approached Roberts.
“His dad came up and he just said, ‘Truthfully, I don’t want this to be kind of like a giveaway,’ ” Roberts said, “ ‘just because of what the family has had to go through.’ ”
Roberts gave him a look at the write-up on Ryan.
“His dad was like, ‘Wow,’ ” Roberts said.
Roberts admitted Ryan displayed a high level of emotional intelligence, something Elite 11 coaches value and possibly something rooted in his difficult last few years. After all that, what’s an interception, even if it’s in front of 80,000 fans?
Presley said Tyler’s death had a profound effect on the team and the school, as they rallied around the Hilinskis.
“Ryan is a big part of our community,” Presley said. “Not just in football, but on our campus at Orange Lutheran. We were all behind him. We were there for him. But managing that, there’s no script for that, when a young man goes through a loss in their family.”
The family has since moved to Columbia, and will be at every game, even if his mother, Kym, admits a harrowing amount of nervousness at the prospect of watching any of her kids play.
All three coaches broke down Ryan’s game as something blending the cerebral and a powerful arm that let make throws all over the field.
Kirksey praised the maturity of his pocket presence, a sign of his high school coaching, and the way he could move in the pocket while surveying downfield. Roberts described him as a “stature power” type, someone who stood out with understanding of the playbook, rhythms and drops, but could also challenge defenders anywhere on the field.
And for Presley, it’s something that blends all that.
“For me, it’s his football IQ first,” Presley said. “Second, it’s his ability to put the right touch on the ball. He has a quick release, but he can also step back and throw it 70 yards.
“Ryan’s work is never done. He’s a Saturday guy, he’s a 20-minute-after-practice guy, he’s a Sunday workout guy. Those are the things that he does, just to develop his timing and his relationship with his wide receivers.”
The high school coach harkened back to the third game of Hilinski’s junior year. The Lancers could never fully pull away from Vista Murrieta, so he just kept slinging it. He was coming into his own in a new offense, and by night’s end, he had 538 yards and four scores to his credit.
Asking that much of him Saturday would be too much, to say the least.
Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp said Hilinski isn’t necessarily vocal, but Kirksey said he brings a level of fun to the game that inspires teammates to follow. Presley said he just needs to manage the game, take care of the ball, hit some passes and find that moment to strike.
In a year when a slew of true freshman passers are stepping in as starters, Roberts credits the rise in QB education and training and the proliferation of information about the position. And he thinks Hilinski’s life experience will make him better at handling any tough moments in the games.
Out West, the Gamecocks will kick off at 9 a.m.
That means the staff at Orange Lutheran will be at work, tending to the morning-after-game goings-on that are part of a high school football program. But they’ll try to get in a bit of a watch party, at least in some way.
“It might be more of a DVR situation,” Presley said. “We haven’t planned anything as of yet. But we’re all talking about it. We have early morning Saturdays here, and we’re going to find a way to get that together.”
NEXT
Who: Charleston Southern at South Carolina
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia
TV: SEC Network
