The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2022 BY ANTHONY BROOME K halid Hill was one of the most be- loved players in the early stages of the Jim Harbaugh era. The Brady Hoke- era recruit from the 2013 cycle was among the many players that saw their games taken to the next level under the new coaching staff. The recruiting process was slow for the standout from Detroit Crockett High School at first, but performances at 7-on-7 camps and connections with players such as quarterback Shane Mor- ris helped keep him on the mind of the Michigan coaching staff under Hoke. "I remember Coach Hoke called my mom one day," Hill said. "The staff wanted me to come up during school. My high school coach kind of told me beforehand, and I walked in there and they ended up offering. I committed to them on the spot. "It was always where I wanted to go. It was an easy choice for me. My high school coach went there, my big brother, [former U-M defensive end] Brandon Graham — he's watched me grow up since I was a kid. My mom taught Bran- don and his wife when they were in high school at Crockett. "We had a saying at Crockett at the time that 'tradition never graduates.' I kept the tradition going by going to Michigan." The U-M recruiting class of 2013 was a tight-knit one and remains that way in the present. Hill is in multiple large group chats with former teammates. That culture of family and connection was fostered by Hoke and impacted his players. "In dealing with Coach Hoke, he was a family-oriented guy," Hill said. "He came to my grandma's house and ate her spa- ghetti. That experience alone just spoke to the kind of family-oriented coach that he was. "I knew that I wanted to play for him. It was a total no-brainer to me." U-M football was given a shot of adrenaline in 2014 when Harbaugh ar- rived as Hoke's successor. Hill has plenty of respect for Hoke and what that staff did for him, but the energy and instruc- tion were at another level with the new man in charge. "It was pretty much instantly when it comes to the coaching aspect," he said. "Harbaugh was a hell of a coach, and I learned a lot from him. The coaches he had on staff, you could learn a lot from them, too. "Hoke was more of a family-oriented guy, whereas Harbaugh's more straight about business. I would say I learned a lot more under Coach Harbaugh. He was in love with teaching the game. We got down to the basics and learned the basics before we moved on to anything else. "I enjoyed playing for him. Harbaugh is a heck of a coach, and you could tell a difference from the first day. It was a good experience." Hill played the first few seasons of his career at tight end but was part of a loaded room that included Jake Butt, Zach Gentry, Ian Bunting, Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and a multitude of other players. The depth chart climb, mixed with some injuries, made it tough to crack the lineup there. Hill got some reps at fullback in a 2015 game against BYU, and ahead of the 2016 season, conversations started hap- WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Former Football Tight End/Fullback Khalid Hill Is Inspiring Others As A High School Coach Hill played tight end and fullback at Michigan from 2013-17 and scored 13 career touchdowns. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN