In some of the most uncertain times of his life, Jeremy Hill’s end goal was never far from his mind — neither was Redemptorist High and LSU teammate La’el Collins.
Committing to LSU with the likes of Jarvis Landry, Anthony Johnson and Collins, Hill was a gem in coach Les Miles’ prized 2011 Louisiana recruiting class, affectionately called “The Fam” after bonding during the recruiting process.
In an instant, it was gone.
Arrested on charges of oral sexual battery on Jan. 12, 2011, Hill was forced to put college football on hold, watching his high school teammate and other “Fam” members on television, before pleading guilty a year later to carnal knowledge of a juvenile.
“I never stopped talking to him,” Collins said. “We stayed close, saw each other a lot and kind of let him know what to look out for when he got here.”
Hill soaked up what he could from his longtime friend and high school comrade as the two continued to forge a bond essential between offensive lineman and running back.
Collins said he laid out the expectations for Hill on what it takes to be an LSU player, all the while stressing the differences he observed throughout his freshman season between high school and college in the trenches.
It’s paid dividends thus far, as Hill seamlessly burst onto the Southeastern Conference football scene with three consecutive 100-yard games, including shredding the revered Alabama defense for 107 yards Saturday.
Hill took the team lead in rushing yards after Saturday’s contest. He has now gained 429 rushing yards, despite not appearing until the Tigers’ third game and receiving his first start against Alabama.
“It’s the same type of plays; we ran the same offense in high school,” Hill said “The same things are going on with the blocking schemes and how he blocks for me, just at a higher level.”
Collins’ passion for the game is the impetus for some of Hill’s biggest runs, with the running back always getting reinforcement from his friend on the line.
“Out on the field, he always tells me to keep going. ‘J, you gotta make a play out there. We need you, we need you,’” Hill said. “When I’m tired out there, he’s got the energy I need.”
Emerging out of the stable of running backs as the most dependable even after his tumultuous 2011, Hill has raised eyebrows around the program with his tough running style and admirable work ethic.
“I think Jeremy has had some of the experiences that allow you to mature quickly,” Miles said. “As a running back, we’re asking him to be the guy that learns quickly, has a great football IQ and has really strong talent.”
While Collins said the memories he and Hill shared at Redemptorist still resonate with him, playing with his friend on one of the conference’s most premier teams just strengthens the duo’s bond.
“[Hill being here] makes it even better,” Collins said. “He’s a real talented guy, he’s still fighting his way through some stuff with the offense but it feels good to play with him.”
As for Hill, he still can’t contain his excitement.
“It’s as great as it gets having that guy blocking for me on these stages,” he said.
‘We stayed close, saw each other a lot and kind of let him know what to look for when he got here.’
