Mike Bobo explains what made Collin Hill the choice for South Carolina starting QB
Mike Bobo has a longstanding relationship with Collin Hill.
The coach liked Hill as a prep player out of Dorman and recruited him to Colorado State after getting the head coaching job there. Bobo elevated Hill twice over starters in season and once at the start of a season, and the coach was responsible for pulling Hill back to his home state as a grad transfer with the Gamecocks.
This week, Bobo and Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp settled on Hill as the team’s opening day starter, and on the radio show Carolina Calls, Bobo explained the decision.
“Collin was the most consistent throughout camp, through the three scrimmages,” Bobo said, noting every play was graded. “We went over it with a fine-toothed comb.”
Bobo said he was proud of all the competitors and how they battled and worked together. He also praised Ryan Hilinski’s work and approach.
As a true freshman, Hill he started five games before an ACL injury ended his season in October. The next year, another ACL injury kept him out all season.
In 2018, Hill spent the start of the year behind K.J. Carta-Samuels, but after a poor start for the team, Hill started the final four games of the season, throwing for 1,387 yards across 10 total games. He entered 2019 as a starter and put up eight touchdowns and two interceptions in less than three games before another torn ACL put him on the shelf less than three games in.
Hill beat out Hilinski, a former Elite 11 passer and top-65 national recruit, who was pressed into action after Jake Bentley got hurt. Hilinski ended up throwing for 2,357 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, but was forced to throw more than 400 passes and only put up 5.8 yards per attempt.
Bobo said Hill was at peace with the risks around his knee, which he isn’t overcompensating for after a third torn ACL.
“This one, he’s a very religious person, he has great faith and given it to the Lord,” Bobo said. “He says, ‘If I get hurt, I get hurt.’ There’s no favoring it, no going out and playing timid, no not stepping into every throw. The two other times I saw him when he came back he was a little bit timid when he came back. Neither one are mobile guys, but we still have to be able to move in the pocket, be able to step over and find our throwing lanes. If he had shown any signs of favoring his knee or any apprehension of playing on the knee, then he wouldn’t be the guy. But he has shown none.”
This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 7:15 PM.
