BOBCATS 125 - TOP 50: Sean Hill
7/28/2022 8:32:00 AM | Football
Sean Hill's versatility led him to a key role in MSU's defensive backfield, and to the NFL...
We look at the 25 players that Bobcat fans and a blue ribbon panel of long-time MSU football observers ranked between 26th and 50th in the quest to determine the program's all-time players. In this segment of the countdown, players are listed alphabetically. You can find details here and a directory here.
Sean Hill, CB/RS, 1989, 1991-93
ALL-TIME TEAM: 2000 Billings Gazette All-Time Team
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and 1st Team All-Big Sky cornerback in 1993, 1st Team All-Big Sky cornerback in 1992, 2nd Team All-Big Sky return specialist in 1991
A CLOSER LOOK: In certain circles during his time at Montana State, Sean Hill was referred to as The Thrill. And that's what he provided nearly every time he stepped onto the football field.
As a freshman in 1989 and then as a sophomore 1991, Hill was an All-Big Sky caliber cornerback and return specialist. He earned second team all-league hoonrs as a returner after his sophomore year, but something much more significant happened for Hill in that time frame.
Earle Solomonson was replaced as MSU's head coach by defensive-minded Cliff Hysell, who brought a pressure-oriented philosophy to the Bobcats. And the cornerstone of Hysell's foundation was a secondary that played man-to-man coverages.
That, it turned out, was right in Sean Hill's wheel house.
Mentored by new secondary coach Jeff Mills (as a side note, Hysell always heaped praise and respect on former Bobcat DBs coach Kevin Donnalley, who coached Hill before Hysell's staff took over), Hill thrived. He took to everything Mills and Hysell embodied and taught, and the results followed. He picked off four passes and broke up four others, with one fumble recovery, as a junior. The next season he was a key cog in MSU's defensive revival and the program's first winning season since 1984. Hill intercepted two more passes and broke up six, while forcing two fumbles.
Part of what made Hill a great player was his versatility. He played both corner and nickel for the Bobcats as a junior and senior, and that flexibility allowed the team to offer multiple looks in the back end.
As a returner, Hill may have been the best MSU produced to that point in time. He averaged 22.2 yards per kickoff return in his career and a remarkable 12.8 yards per punt return, with two touchdowns.
Hill earned 2nd Team All-Big Sky honors as a return specialist in 1993, and was first team as a cornerback. He also became MSU's first cornerback to earn All-America honors, and the Miami Dolphins drafted him in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft and played three professional seasons.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR GREG SALO: "In that era with Hys (head coach Cliff Hysell), he was probably the best defensive back we had. He could play safety or corner, you could have him in the game and he could play anybody man to man. He was one of the better man-to-man players that I saw."
FROM FORMER BOBCAT SAFETY AND TEAM CAPTAIN SCOTT MATTHEWS: "When you are young you pay attention to those ahead of you more than those younger than you so you can learn from them. I used to start singing the old Michael Jordan jingle every time I saw him, 'Sometimes i dream that he is me, got to see, that is how i dream to be .. .' He would always just smile when i did it. His senior year I was still playing cornerback and safety so I looked up to him tremendously. His raw talent wasn't something you could emulate, so I just tried to enjoy watching him play more than anything. On special teams I knew that if I could hold my block Sean had a chance to take it to the house every play. Knowing that provides a lot of positive energy for the guys blocking on special teams. When I was on defense playing safety I knew I didn't have to be concerned about being over the top of Sean and his receiver because he was going to have him locked down."
Sean Hill, CB/RS, 1989, 1991-93
ALL-TIME TEAM: 2000 Billings Gazette All-Time Team
HONORS: 1st Team All-America and 1st Team All-Big Sky cornerback in 1993, 1st Team All-Big Sky cornerback in 1992, 2nd Team All-Big Sky return specialist in 1991
A CLOSER LOOK: In certain circles during his time at Montana State, Sean Hill was referred to as The Thrill. And that's what he provided nearly every time he stepped onto the football field.
As a freshman in 1989 and then as a sophomore 1991, Hill was an All-Big Sky caliber cornerback and return specialist. He earned second team all-league hoonrs as a returner after his sophomore year, but something much more significant happened for Hill in that time frame.
Earle Solomonson was replaced as MSU's head coach by defensive-minded Cliff Hysell, who brought a pressure-oriented philosophy to the Bobcats. And the cornerstone of Hysell's foundation was a secondary that played man-to-man coverages.
That, it turned out, was right in Sean Hill's wheel house.
Mentored by new secondary coach Jeff Mills (as a side note, Hysell always heaped praise and respect on former Bobcat DBs coach Kevin Donnalley, who coached Hill before Hysell's staff took over), Hill thrived. He took to everything Mills and Hysell embodied and taught, and the results followed. He picked off four passes and broke up four others, with one fumble recovery, as a junior. The next season he was a key cog in MSU's defensive revival and the program's first winning season since 1984. Hill intercepted two more passes and broke up six, while forcing two fumbles.
Part of what made Hill a great player was his versatility. He played both corner and nickel for the Bobcats as a junior and senior, and that flexibility allowed the team to offer multiple looks in the back end.
As a returner, Hill may have been the best MSU produced to that point in time. He averaged 22.2 yards per kickoff return in his career and a remarkable 12.8 yards per punt return, with two touchdowns.
Hill earned 2nd Team All-Big Sky honors as a return specialist in 1993, and was first team as a cornerback. He also became MSU's first cornerback to earn All-America honors, and the Miami Dolphins drafted him in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft and played three professional seasons.
FROM FORMER BOBCAT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR GREG SALO: "In that era with Hys (head coach Cliff Hysell), he was probably the best defensive back we had. He could play safety or corner, you could have him in the game and he could play anybody man to man. He was one of the better man-to-man players that I saw."
FROM FORMER BOBCAT SAFETY AND TEAM CAPTAIN SCOTT MATTHEWS: "When you are young you pay attention to those ahead of you more than those younger than you so you can learn from them. I used to start singing the old Michael Jordan jingle every time I saw him, 'Sometimes i dream that he is me, got to see, that is how i dream to be .. .' He would always just smile when i did it. His senior year I was still playing cornerback and safety so I looked up to him tremendously. His raw talent wasn't something you could emulate, so I just tried to enjoy watching him play more than anything. On special teams I knew that if I could hold my block Sean had a chance to take it to the house every play. Knowing that provides a lot of positive energy for the guys blocking on special teams. When I was on defense playing safety I knew I didn't have to be concerned about being over the top of Sean and his receiver because he was going to have him locked down."
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