AUSTIN (KXAN) — When linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. arrived at Texas last season as a true freshman, his talent and athleticism were undeniable, but he didn’t quite have an idea how to put those to use at the college level. He was great at football, he just wasn’t a great linebacker, Texas coaches told him.
It’s safe to say it hasn’t taken him long to become a great linebacker.
Leading the Longhorns in tackles per game at 7.33, 10th in the Southeastern Conference, Hill has improved physically, mentally and emotionally, head coach Steve Sarkisian said. He’s a “green dot” player, meaning he receives communication from coaches through speakers in the helmet, and he’s the lynchpin in the Longhorns defense that ranks No. 2 in total defense among FBS teams.
“Last season, he was just playing football. If he could run and hit something, it worked,” Sarkisian said. “We put a lot on him this year coming back, and what I’ve been impressed with him … is who he is as a person. The work he puts in, the way he represents this program, is as impressive to me as how he plays the game.”
His playmaking ability is evident — he’s tied for second in the SEC with three forced fumbles and ninth in sacks per game with 0.61. He has 5.5 total sacks and 11 tackles for loss to lead the Longhorns, and he’ll have his work cut out for him Friday trying to take down Arkansas’ dynamic duo of quarterback Taylen Green and running back Ja’Quinden Jackson.
Hill said Green is most dangerous when he’s improvising and moving outside of the pocket. He’s noticed that teams make a concerted effort to keep him bottled up between the tackles. He said especially in third down and short yardage situations, someone (he didn’t say who, but it might be obvious) will be a spy trying to mirror Green’s every move.
“We don’t want him running around, that’s not in our best interest,” Hill said about Green.
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When Hill lays a hit on any offensive player, he relies on his training to knock the ball loose.
“Every time I tackle someone in practice, I try to punch out the ball,” he said. “In a game, I’m not trying to because I already do it on a daily basis. I work it in practice so I can do it in a game.”
Hill has found a level of consistency that sometimes even seniors can’t get to, and he’s in his second season. He was one of the prized recruits out of 2023 recruiting class, earning a 5-star rating from 247Sports, so perhaps he’s having the type of production people have expected — but to do it this early on is pretty special.
“Game in, game out, I know No. 0 is going to be there Saturday at 11 a.m. I don’t have to worry about that,” Sarkisian said. “When we take the field, that dude is going to be ready to play.”