By Jim Muir
Nick Hill is going to be racking up some frequent flyer miles.
Confirming what was reported by multiple news outlets on Wednesday, Hill said on Thursday morning that he has signed with the San Antonio Talons of the Arena Football League to play quarterback and replace injured starter John Dutton.
After a serious ankle injury last year Hill said he was through playing and turned down numerous offers to play for other AFL teams.
“Things just worked out with the San Antonio offer,” said Hill. “I can do this but still keep my commitment to coach high school football in Southern Illinois.”
Hill and his wife Alecia recently purchased a home in Carterville and he was hired as offensive coordinator and associate head coach at Carbondale Community High School. Alecia has enrolled at SIU to finish work on her master’s degree. And despite the frantic schedule he will be facing, all of that is still in place, Hill said.
When contacted on Thursday morning Hill was in Orlando and had just completed a physical for the Talons and was traveling later in the day to Tampa to meet his new teammates who are flying in from San Antonio tonight for a game against Tampa Bay on Friday night.
“I will meet the team, and I will have a walk through with them,” Hill said. “Then I will play on Friday night in Tampa … without any practice.”
After the game in Tampa Bay Hill and the Talons will travel to Phoenix, Arizona on April 20 and then to Pittsburgh on April 28.
“We close on our house on April 19, so I will fly from Orlando to St. Louis, drive to Carterville and then fly to Phoenix for a game the next day,” Hill said.
The AFL regular season ends on July 27 and Hill said he plans to keep his commitment to Carbondale football, commuting between San Antonio and Carterville each week.
“I really thought I was through playing but they (San Antonio) presented a great opportunity and I’m excited to be back in the AFL,” said Hill. “And I’m also very excited to be back in Southern Illinois coaching high school football.”
Below is a link to the San Antonio Talons schedule:
www.sanantoniotalons.com/2013-schedule/
Also a link to the Talons website:
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