A Q&A with Ike Hilliard, who will represent the Gators as an SEC Legend in Atlanta
Monday, November 21, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
Ike Hilliard needs no introduction for Florida football fans who followed the Gators closely during the Steve Spurrier coaching era.
Hilliard was part of a trio of talented receivers that also included Jacquez Green and Reidel Anthony. They proved to be perfect targets for quarterback Danny Wuerffel in 1996 as the Gators won their first national championship and Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy.
In the Sugar Bowl victory over rival Florida State that gave the Gators the title, Hilliard rose to the occasion with 150 yards receiving and three touchdowns. You can watch clips of his memorable “Stop and Pop” catch on YouTube.
Once he left UF after the national title season, Hilliard spent 12 years in the NFL as a receiver for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His playing career ended in 2008 and Hilliard immediately embarked on a coaching career.
After two seasons as receivers coach with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League, Hilliard is in his first season as assistant receivers coach with the Miami Dolphins.
Hilliard recently was named as a member of the 2011 SEC Football Legends Class. He will represent UF at the 2011 SEC Championship game next month in Atlanta.
Here is a Q&A with Hilliard:
Q: What's if feel like to be called a legend?
A: I'm only 35. It's all in perspective here. From a head coach: 'You're not old enough to be a legend.' It's true. It's unbelievably flattering. I'm just honored and flattered by the whole process. I think at the end of the day to be associated with the University of Florida in itself is an honor. To represent the school at the SEC Championship game during the whole presentation is definitely an honor. I don't know how to put it into words. I'm looking forward to it.
Q: You are obviously still close to the game as an assistant with the Dolphins. When did you first start thinking about becoming a coach?
A: It was about Year 6 or 7 in the league up in New York, we were making a run to the Super Bowl at the time and [current Saints coach] Sean Payton was our offensive coordinator. His method for the madness is kind of what intrigued me – the attention to detail, the reasons we created the matchups we did, how we got to that, trying to get the best out of each and every player, trying to get everyone involved. I can go on and on about how much I appreciated the way Coach Payton went about his business. On top of that after leaving New York, I got down to Tampa with Jon Gruden. And obviously the mad scientist he is only confirmed that coaching is something that I would love to do. Once my playing career ended in '08, in the spring of '09 I reached out to Jay Gruden – now the offensive coordinator of the Bengals. He was like why don't you come and coach my wide receivers [with the Florida Tuskers] if you are interested. I never stopped smelling the grass. I went from playing directly into coaching.
Q: Is coaching something you can see yourself doing for many years?
A: It depends on whether or not I can learn what I need to learn or if I'm given an opportunity to be able to teach or tell my story to these young men. I'm just looking forward to hopefully being able to teach what has been given to me. We'll see. This whole ride has been amazing. A lot of ups and downs – it's been tough, it's been rewarding, it's been blissful, it's been a number of things. To be in the position I am right now and looking forward to what the future brings, I'm excited about hopefully having any opportunity to teach. I'll do it as long Christ allows me to do it. I love smelling the grass, I really do.
Q: When you meet a Gator fan or someone familiar with your background, what do they usually remember about your time at UF?
A: I think everybody talks about the Sugar Bowl game. After having played the worst game I've ever played in my life out in Tallahassee right before the national championship, to be able to get another opportunity to play those guys in my home state was definitely something that was gratifying for me. They talk about the slant for a touchdown – the “Stop and Pop” or whatever they call it – that play was one of many by me and my teammates that helped us earn our first national title. That's the game that really comes to mind.
Q: How close do you follow the Gators these days?
A: I'm obviously a fan. I follow as close as I can obviously with the time restraints of this profession I'm in. I'm definitely pulling for Coach Muschamp and everybody involved with that organization to do well. It's going to be an opportunity for them to be able to put their stamp on the program. I'm sure they are going to be successful for a long time.
Q: Did you know Coach Muschamp prior to him taking over the program?
A: No, not before he got to UF. There was really no way for our paths to cross. I've been fortunate enough to talk to him since he took over as head coach. I don't know if my opinion matters, but they have the right guy in place to take the program where it needs to go. I'm looking forward to what those guys are going to do as they rally around Coach Muschamp and to see how many SEC titles and hopefully national titles they win going forward.
Q: A big storyline two weeks ago was the Gators facing South Carolina and Spurrier, your former coach. Does that still seem strange to you?
A: It's been a few years now and I'm always bias when it comes to Coach Spurrier. I'll always go to bat for him and hopefully he'll go to bat for me. I wish him all the success as long as he decides to coach. It's always a tough game to really pick a side for. I'm bias on both ends. I just want to see a good clean football game and it just so happened South Carolina got the best of them this year.
