Justice Hill adds another weapon with receiving skills
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph faked a handoff to Justice Hill, who slipped through a hole and curled behind the defensive line.
Rudolph looked right toward James Washington, then left toward Chris Lacy before quickly coming back to his running back. Rudolph tossed a soft pass to Hill, who caught it and turned up field, bouncing off a defender and out of bounds for a 12-yard gain.
It was the final minute of the first half last Friday night at South Alabama, and the play kept a drive going that ultimately ended in a Matt Ammendola field goal. The reception was Hill’s fourth of the night, totaling 46 yards, with each accounting for a first down.
In his breakout freshman season, Hill
caught five passes — all year. No OSU running back had more than 13 receptions last season, and Hill is already more than halfway to that mark, with seven through two games.
Of all the upgrades to Hill’s game — his added weight, improved pass blocking and ability to handle more carries — the most valuable addition could be his receiving skills.
Hill has insisted he’s a reliable pass catcher, and he’s showing it so far, with seven catches on eight targets. His only miss came on a screen pass in which the blocking didn’t develop in time, and the pass was out of reach.
But Hill’s effectiveness in the passing game, either as the primary receiver or a safety net when longer routes don’t materialize, is boosting his value in his sophomore season.
Most teams will try to do what they can to limit all of OSU’s dangerous receivers, which could open up shorter routes and create mismatches for Hill underneath.
“We use the NFL as an example,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “They throw to the backs all the time. There’s a reason they do that, because you see a lot of drop-off coverage. He did a good job in the game.”
Hill’s first point of emphasis always will be running the ball. But on nights when it isn’t working so well — Hill had 27 yards on 11 carries and the team went for 163 on 37 attempts against South Alabama — becoming a viable option in the passing game is a way for one of OSU’s most elusive players to stay involved.
As Saturday’s road trip to Pittsburgh approaches, the Panthers are clearly aware of the damage Hill can do.
“You look across the board talent-wise, I think Justice Hill is going to be the fastest tailback we face this year,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “He’s fast, No. 5, you watch him, he’s fast.”
Penn State found success throwing to running back Saquon Barkley, who ended up being tied for the team lead in catches (4) and yards (45) in Saturday’s 33-14 win over Pitt. He beat a linebacker to get open down the middle of the field for a third-quarter touchdown that put Penn State up 21-3.
Through two games, Hill is second on the team in yards from scrimmage, with 159 rushing yards and 56 receiving yards, behind only James Washington with 242 receiving yards.
“He’s a tremendous talent,” OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said. “He’s a huge weapon for us offensively, and we’ve got to keep going toward him. It has been a natural growth for him, but he came to us as a very mature guy already.
“He’s got a lot of growing still to do because he’s still a young player. He does everything off the field exactly right, and he’s just a very mature guy that you love to have on your ballclub.”
He’s a tremendous talent. He’s a huge weapon for us offensively, and we’ve got to keep going toward him. It has been a natural growth for him, but he came to us as a very mature guy already.”
OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich