Jonathan Hilliman: Coming Home
Oct 11 | Football
Rutgers running back Jonathan Hilliman grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, just a 25-minute drive from HighPoint.com Stadium. As a kid playing Pop Warner, he and his friends would attend summer camps at Rutgers. It was there that he met Rutgers legends Ray Rice, Brian Leonard, and Jason and Devin McCourty.
"Those guys were larger than life when I was younger, but they were unbelievably humble guys," Hilliman explained. "You would not know that they were superstars. That motivated me to go out and push towards being like that one day."
With that inspiration in mind, Hilliman went on to a successful high school career at St. Peter's Prep, and ended up at Boston College to start his college career. He spent a successful four years there, starting 29 games, rushing for 2,238 yards and 26 touchdowns, and was an all-conference selection in 2014. When he started to explore options for his final year of collegiate eligibility, the pull of coming home called to him.
"I knew it was going to be a good fit, so I just wanted to come back home," Hillman said.
Hilliman came home to Rutgers, following in the shoes of Gus Edwards. The Staten Island, N.Y., native had returned home the previous year as a graduate transfer and then was off to the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. With similar professional goals in mind, Hilliman graduated from BC after three and a half years and enrolled at Rutgers in time for spring practice.
On September 1, Hilliman suited up in a Scarlet Knight uniform for the first time. For his first-ever college game in his home state, Hilliman had a huge rooting section in the stands cheering him on.
"I had a lot of people ask for tickets, so many I couldn't even facilitate all of them," Hilliman explained. "It adds a level of motivation to it, just to go out there and give my best effort all the time in front of them."
With that crowd behind him, Hilliman did not disappoint. A pounding rusher, he scored two touchdowns in a victorious New Jersey debut.
"It was awesome," Hilliman exclaimed. "I had always dreamed of being a Rutgers football player. God works in mysterious ways and I am back and able to do it. It's been a lot of fun."
Hilliman's value to the Scarlet Knights goes even beyond his on-field production. A fifth-year senior, he serves as a mentor to the young running backs on the roster behind him. Sophomore Raheem Blackshear, who shares carries with Hilliman but is three years his junior, bestowed him with the nickname of 'Pop-Pop.' While Hilliman says he does not feel like a 'Pop-Pop,' he does value the opportunity to share his experience with the younger players in that running backs room.
"I used to play back when there were no stipends and there were two-a-days. These guys don't even know about that, so I am kind of like an ancient artifact," Hilliman said. "So those guys have jokes, it is funny, it is all love.
"I know they look up to me to lead by example and be the motivational leader as well as the vocal leader," Hilliman continued. "Those are my guys, they are going to have great careers here and my job is to lead by example and show them how to do it the right way on and off the field and be there for them, they are young and need some direction and that is part of my job."
The Rutgers coaching staff has been quickly impressed with what Hilliman brings to the team. On and off the field, he has made a quick impression with his high quality play and high character.
"He's a great leader," running backs coach Nunzio Campanile said. "There's not enough good things I can say about him. He's a really mature leader, and a heck of a good player on top of that. He's very even keeled. He stays calm. He's super prepared. He's really smart, he's got a lot of experience. He's been very well coached in high school and college so he comes in here really understanding what the game's about. When things go bad, he helps tell the younger guys 'let's shake it off, keep playing.' When things are good, he helps the them stay levelheaded. He's able to help the younger guys learn. It's like having an extra coach in the room because he's been around it so long."
Hilliman is determined to put an emphatic stamp on his final collegiate season. With his family and friends nearby to support him, the local product is eager for one last hurrah in his home state.
"Those guys were larger than life when I was younger, but they were unbelievably humble guys," Hilliman explained. "You would not know that they were superstars. That motivated me to go out and push towards being like that one day."
With that inspiration in mind, Hilliman went on to a successful high school career at St. Peter's Prep, and ended up at Boston College to start his college career. He spent a successful four years there, starting 29 games, rushing for 2,238 yards and 26 touchdowns, and was an all-conference selection in 2014. When he started to explore options for his final year of collegiate eligibility, the pull of coming home called to him.
"I knew it was going to be a good fit, so I just wanted to come back home," Hillman said.
Hilliman came home to Rutgers, following in the shoes of Gus Edwards. The Staten Island, N.Y., native had returned home the previous year as a graduate transfer and then was off to the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. With similar professional goals in mind, Hilliman graduated from BC after three and a half years and enrolled at Rutgers in time for spring practice.
On September 1, Hilliman suited up in a Scarlet Knight uniform for the first time. For his first-ever college game in his home state, Hilliman had a huge rooting section in the stands cheering him on.
"I had a lot of people ask for tickets, so many I couldn't even facilitate all of them," Hilliman explained. "It adds a level of motivation to it, just to go out there and give my best effort all the time in front of them."
With that crowd behind him, Hilliman did not disappoint. A pounding rusher, he scored two touchdowns in a victorious New Jersey debut.
"It was awesome," Hilliman exclaimed. "I had always dreamed of being a Rutgers football player. God works in mysterious ways and I am back and able to do it. It's been a lot of fun."
Hilliman's value to the Scarlet Knights goes even beyond his on-field production. A fifth-year senior, he serves as a mentor to the young running backs on the roster behind him. Sophomore Raheem Blackshear, who shares carries with Hilliman but is three years his junior, bestowed him with the nickname of 'Pop-Pop.' While Hilliman says he does not feel like a 'Pop-Pop,' he does value the opportunity to share his experience with the younger players in that running backs room.
"I used to play back when there were no stipends and there were two-a-days. These guys don't even know about that, so I am kind of like an ancient artifact," Hilliman said. "So those guys have jokes, it is funny, it is all love.
"I know they look up to me to lead by example and be the motivational leader as well as the vocal leader," Hilliman continued. "Those are my guys, they are going to have great careers here and my job is to lead by example and show them how to do it the right way on and off the field and be there for them, they are young and need some direction and that is part of my job."
The Rutgers coaching staff has been quickly impressed with what Hilliman brings to the team. On and off the field, he has made a quick impression with his high quality play and high character.
"He's a great leader," running backs coach Nunzio Campanile said. "There's not enough good things I can say about him. He's a really mature leader, and a heck of a good player on top of that. He's very even keeled. He stays calm. He's super prepared. He's really smart, he's got a lot of experience. He's been very well coached in high school and college so he comes in here really understanding what the game's about. When things go bad, he helps tell the younger guys 'let's shake it off, keep playing.' When things are good, he helps the them stay levelheaded. He's able to help the younger guys learn. It's like having an extra coach in the room because he's been around it so long."
Hilliman is determined to put an emphatic stamp on his final collegiate season. With his family and friends nearby to support him, the local product is eager for one last hurrah in his home state.
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