Michigan Football: Khalid Hill Knows How Emotional Saturday Will Be
Growing up in Detroit, fifth-year senior fullback Khalid knows what Saturday’s Michigan/Ohio State game is all about.
“We need this win as a team and as a program,” he asserted. “We haven’t beaten them in a long time, so it’d be something special to be the team that finally does it.
“We all have an extra boost this week. Today’s practice was one of the best we’ve had in a long time. Guys are putting forth their best efforts.”
Hill explained that the Wolverines need to win this year’s version of The Game convincingly, and can’t leave it in the hands of the refs like they did last year.
“Any time I see that game, I get angry,” he said. “The refs made that call at the end, but we shouldn’t have kept it that close. We made too many mistakes that day, like the fumble at the one-yard line and the interceptions.”
Although those were monstrous mistakes, Hill explained it’s been small mistakes that have plagued the team this year.
“You saw us up in the third quarter of the Wisconsin game, but then we had mental lapses, like people jumping offsides or blown coverages — stuff you can’t do,” he recalled. “That’s what happens when you have young guys out there. It’s good for them to get it out of the way now though, so they learn from it and don’t do it anymore.”
Michigan’s program as a whole has come a long way in Hill’s five years at Michigan, especially when considering where it was during his redshirt freshman season of 2014.
The Wolverines went 5-7 that year, and the fifth-year senior fullback talked about how different the program is now.
“It’s totally different, to be honest,” he said. “Coach [Brady] Hoke leaving was tough, because I loved that guy. The whole vibe here changed once we started winning again.
“Nothing was worse than going through that 5-7 season, especially since I was hurt that year. We’re still trying to turn the program around and get it back to the Michigan way.”
Hill will go through the senior day festivities for a second time on Saturday, and he discussed how emotional it will be for him.
“I cried during last year’s, because I didn’t know if I'd be coming back,” he revealed. “[Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer] David Turnley played this song last year and a photo compilation of the whole season went with it on the big screen, so that was pretty emotional.
“This will be the last time I’m with my guys and playing in that stadium in the Maize and Blue. We also understand we have a job to do. It’s my last chance to leave a legacy out on that field.”
Anyone who says Michigan “doesn’t have a chance” on Saturday has obviously never been a part of a rivalry as intense as The Game.
Check out more of The Wolverine's Michigan/Ohio State game coverage below:
Michigan Football: Peters in Concussion Protocol, but Could Play vs. OSU
Michigan Football News and Views: Jim Harbaugh on Ohio State
Michigan Football Video: Six Wolverines Speak to the Media About Ohio State
Michigan Football: Ohio Native Mike McCray Expects Saturday to be 'Surreal'
Michigan Football: Mason Cole, Seniors Have Final Chance to Beat Ohio State
Michigan Football: Last Year's Loss to OSU has Motivated Karan Higdon
Chase Winovich Grew up a Buckeye fan, Says he was Flipped the Bird at OSU
By the Numbers: A Closer Look at the Storied Histories of Michigan and OSU
Michigan Football Video: Five Wolverines Talk Ohio State
Michigan Football: Khaleke Hudson Understands Ohio State Rivalry Better now
Scouting Report: Previewing Michigan vs. Ohio State With Team Insider
Michigan Football Keys to the Game: Ohio State
Harbaugh: Michigan Football win Over OSU Could Salvage the Season
Michigan Football: Don Brown Says it's 'Pick Your Poison' Against OSU
Michigan Football Video: Don Brown and Pep Hamilton Talk Ohio State, More
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