Madre Hill facts for kids
Hill waves while being honored as an SEC Football Legend on the field at Razorback Stadium
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| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 2, 1976 Malvern, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 199 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Malvern (AR) | ||||||||
| College: | Arkansas | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1999 / Round: 7 / Pick: 207 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Madre Hill was born on January 2, 1976. He is a former American professional football player. He played as a running back for teams like the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). Many people think he was one of the best running backs from the University of Arkansas.
In 1995, Hill was chosen for the first-team All-SEC. He was also named to the Razorbacks' best team of the 1990s. He once held the record for the most rushing yards in a season for both Arkansas high schools and the Arkansas Razorbacks college team.
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Early Life and High School Football
Madre Hill grew up in Malvern, Arkansas. He started playing organized football when he was very young. He was so good that special rules were made to make games fair for his opponents. In youth football, he scored almost every time he touched the ball. This made games very lopsided.
So, a rule was created. It limited Hill to three touchdowns if his team was ahead by more than 14 points. This rule became known as the "Madre Hill Rule."
High School Achievements
Hill went to Malvern High School. There, he ran for a state record of 6,010 yards and scored 68 touchdowns. In his senior year (1993), he ran for a state record of 2,863 yards. He helped Malvern win the Class AAA State Championship. He ran for over 200 yards in that championship game.
After high school, Hill received many honors. He was named the Reebok National High School Player of the Year. He was also named All-American by USA Today and Blue Chip Illustrated. Hill was also the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year for Arkansas. He was chosen for All-State and All-District teams three times.
College Football Career
Hill played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1994 to 1998. He missed the 1996 and 1997 seasons. This was because he tore a ligament in each knee.
1994 Season Highlights
As a freshman, Hill ran for 351 yards. He carried the ball 74 times, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He also tied a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. This happened in a game against the LSU Tigers.
1995 Season Success
In 1995, Hill was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC). This honor came from both SEC coaches and the Associated press. He set new school records that year. He had 45 rushing attempts in one game against Auburn. He also scored 6 rushing touchdowns in a game against South Carolina.
Hill set the school's single-season record for rushing yards with 1,387. He also set the record for rushing attempts with 307. These records stood until Darren McFadden broke them in 2006 and 2007. Hill led the Razorbacks to the SEC Championship Game that season. However, they lost to Florida 34–3. Hill left the game early due to his first knee injury. The 1995 Razorbacks finished the season with 8 wins and 5 losses. They lost to North Carolina in the Carquest Bowl without Hill playing.
1998 Season Comeback
In 1998, Hill returned after two years away from the game. He helped the Razorbacks achieve a 9–3 record. They tied for first place in the SEC West Division. This was in head coach Houston Nutt's first season. Hill ran for 669 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Arkansas later lost to a Michigan team, led by Tom Brady, in the Florida Citrus Bowl.
Hill was named to the Arkansas Razorbacks All-Decade Team for the 1990s. He finished his college career with 2,407 rushing yards. This places him tenth all-time at the university. His 25 rushing touchdowns rank sixth in school history. He also had eight games where he rushed for over 100 yards.
Professional Football Career
The Cleveland Browns drafted Madre Hill in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was the first pick of the seventh round. Hill played two seasons with the Browns. In 1999, he played five games as a kick returner. He returned 8 kicks for 137 yards. In 2000, Hill spent the season on injured reserve due to a neck injury.
NFL Europe and World Bowl IX
In 2001, Hill played in NFL Europe for the Berlin Thunder. He was the team's top rusher with 388 yards. He also caught 15 passes for 295 yards. He returned 7 kicks for 98 yards and scored four touchdowns. The Thunder finished with a 6–4 record and won World Bowl IX that season. Hill helped the Thunder win by leading them in rushing.
NFL Teams and Super Bowl XXXVII
Hill's good performance with the Berlin Thunder earned him a contract with the San Diego Chargers in 2001. He was signed to play while LaDainian Tomlinson was holding out. However, Hill was released after three pre-season games once Tomlinson signed. Hill's last professional season was with the Oakland Raiders in 2002. He was part of the Raiders' active roster for Super Bowl XXXVII. The Raiders lost that game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Life After Playing Football
After playing for the Raiders, Madre Hill went back to the University of Arkansas. He worked as a graduate assistant for head football coach Houston Nutt in 2004. In 2005, Steve Spurrier hired Hill at the University of South Carolina. He became their running backs coach. The Gamecocks finished the 2005 season with a 7–5 record. They were invited to the Independence Bowl. Hill then coached running backs at Florida International University in 2006.
In 2011, Hill started his own company, RazorClean Inc. This company focuses on management, supply, and contracting.
Honors and Recognition
In September 2015, the Southeastern Conference named Hill as one of fifteen SEC Football Legends. He was honored with the other legends before the 2015 SEC Championship Game. In September 2017, Hill was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor. He was one of nine former student-athletes to receive this honor. Hill was also inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
He is widely considered the best running back for the Razorbacks in the 1990s. He is also seen as one of the greatest high school running backs in Arkansas history.
See also
- Arkansas Razorbacks football
- Berlin Thunder
