It was the second week of August and Sara Hill, wife of Weber State football coach Jay Hill, informed him that she had been diagnosed with stage four Hodgin’s Lymphoma.
But she will have nothing to do with a pity party for her as she is in the fifth month of six months of chemo treatments every two weeks. Sara, 38, regulary attends practice and hosts a players dinner each Thursday.
Shaving Heads in Unity: Not only did she and Jay shave their heads in August in preparation for the every other week of treatments, so did the Weber State football players as a show of caring for her.
The Good and the Bad: While the 2016 season started out on that tough personal note, followed by two road losses, the Wildcats have bounced back to win seven of the last nine games to make the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2009.
FCS Game at Finley: The Wildcats take on Chattanooga Saturday at 2 p.m, at Finley Stadium on ESPN3 in a first round game in the 24-team FCS playoffs.
More on Sara Hill’s story later in the week.
Game Notes: Weber State (Ogden, Utah) has journeyed to the South on two occasions for a football game in its 55 year history and hopes the third time is the charm as the Wildcats from the Big Sky Conference are 0-2.
WSU lost to Arkansas in 2001 and to William and Mary, 38-0 in a first round FCS playoff game in 2009.
Saturday’s Game: UTC hosts the Wildcats at 2 p.m. (ESPN3) at Finley Stadium in the first meeting between the two schools.
Weber State (7-4) has a senior-laden team (17 returners) with nine starters in offense and seven in defense.
Veteran QB: The Wildcats are led by senior quarterback Jadrian Clark who has thrown for 2,823 yards at 51.7% completion rate with 22 TD passes.
Soph. running back Treshawn Garrett has 1,000+ career rushing yards … Top receiver: Jr. TE Andrew Vollert (San Mateo, Calif.) … top receiver with 57 catches for 757 yards and 6 TDs … also played one year at San Jose State and San Francisco City College (O.J. Simpson also played there 50 years ago before transferring to USC)
UTC QB Alejandro Bennifield has passed for 2,173 yards and 23 touchdowns at a 65.6% completion rate.
Derrick Craine leads the UTC backs in rushing with 808 yards and nine touchdowns, followed by Richardre Bagley with 543 yards and five touchdowns.
Coaches: UTC – Russ Huesman (UTC, 1981) … born in Cincinnati, Ohio … ninth season at UTC; 58-36 … SoCon Coach of the year in 2015 … Mocs have won three SoCon titles under Huesman (20013-14-15) … 4-year starter for UTC at defensive back and also played baseball for the Mocs … starter for Moeller HS (Cincinnati) as team was 43-0-1 and two-time state champs … has a national championship ring as defensive coordinator with Richmond in 2008 … has led Mocs to FCS playoffs in 2014 (1-1) and 2015 (1-1) and 2016.
Russ and his wife, Amy, have four children – Jacob, Emily, Levi, Natalie
Weber State - Jay Hill (Utah, 2000) … earned a master’s degree in 2005 … born in Lehi, Utah … is 40 years old … third year at Weber State with a 15-19 record … Juco All-American defensive back at Ricks JC …. Played two years at Utah and led the Mountain West Conference in interceptions as a senior in 1999.
He and his wife, Sara, have four children – Allie, Alayna, Ashtyn, Jacob
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net