Determination to play early paying off for UAB freshman Kelvin Hill

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - September 7, 2024

Spending his freshman season as a redshirt was not in the plans for Kelvin Hill when he arrived at UAB in June.

The cornerback from Carrollton High, which is one of the top football programs in Georgia, planned on finding a role in his first year as a college football player.

“My approach, coming into the camp, was I had a big mindset of just coming in to play an early role, even if it was on special teams and getting a couple reps on defense,” said the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Hill. “It was just more so like just getting my feet wet, really, just going ahead and just being able to play a role early.”

Hill said he started getting more reps and getting more comfortable in the second week of fall camp. However, even then, it was hard to predict that Hill would find himself in the starting lineup on opening day. A fall camp injury to Ricky Lee III played a role but Hill’s performance during camp put him in position to grab that spot with Lee on the sideline for the opener.

“Our young guys are really good,” said UAB defensive coordinator Sione Ta’ufo’ou. “And (Hill) just immensely operates at a high level. Then he has the physical traits to go with it. He doesn't flinch, he continues to ask questions, he’s a great communicator. He's the type of kid that only makes mistakes once.”

One of his early reps nearly ended in his first college interception. The play came on a third down during Alcorn State’s second series of the game.

“We were in man, he ran the bubble screen and I just undercut it,” Hill said. “I tried to make a play. I didn't come down with it but I'm coming down with the next one.”

Overall, Hill played a solid game in his first college game. He also showed he’s an important part of what could ultimately be a deep position. Lee appears to be on the verge of returning and Tariq Watson was able to play against Alcorn State after missing time in fall camp with an injury.

“We've been banged up a little bit, but now, at guys start getting healthy,” Ta’ufo’ou said. “What I do love is they're starting to build real depth out there. As Ricky gets better, as Tariq and everyone gets rolling, it's gonna be fun, Troy (Jakubec) and (Colby Dempsey) and the young fella. There are four or five guys now that can play corner, that gives us some real depth. And not everybody has to own it. They all go play really, really hard and execute a high level. and it just makes us better as a defense.”

Hill’s path to being in that mix began in high school. The coaching he received at Carrollton High, along with the competition he faced as a perennial state championship contender helped Hill’s preparation.

“It helped a lot, honestly,” Hill said. “The coaches down there, they taught me a lot. It was really easy to be prepared when I came in here.  Most of the scheme was kind of what I was doing down there in Carrollton. So, it really was comfortable. Carrollton is very college-like. So if you want to get prepared, that's really where it's at.”