Sophomore wide receiver Stephen Hill will take over as Tech’s primary receiver in 2010 as the team looks to find production at the position after Demaryius Thomas’ departure to the NFL this past spring. Hill, who is from Lithonia, Ga., stands at 6-foot-5-inch and has added muscle in the past year, looking to become a better blocker and present a bigger target for senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt in the passing game.
Hill sat down with the Technique earlier this week.
Nique: How does it feel to replace such greats in recent years as Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas?
Stephen Hill: It feels pretty good seeing those receivers play. When I came in, they were able to teach me a lot.
Nique: Those guys had nicknames like Megatron and Bay-Bay, do you happen to have any nicknames?
SH: Yeah, they call me Smokey because I look like Chris Tucker in Friday. They don’t have any football names for me, though.
Nique: What part do you think you most need to improve?
SH: My route running skills and some better blocking. It would be those two areas. We do a lot of blocking under Coach Johnson.
Nique: If you could compare yourself to any professional athlete, who would you say that you are most like?
SH: Terrell Owens, because I like to talk junk sometimes during the game and I am just really silly. I’m like, “Ah ah ah”.
Nique: Outside of football do you have any other hobbies?
SH: I like to play basketball a lot. I like to do a lot of dunking and trick dunks.
Nique: What would you consider the most interesting thing that you’ve achieved?
SH: A national championship that I won when I was very young. I won a national championship in the 100 and 200 running for AAU.
Nique: I heard that you played basketball in high school and played alongside Tech player Mfon Udofia. Are you good friends with him at all?
SH: Yes, really good friends with him. We have actually played basketball against each other when we were ten. I’ve known him for some time.
Nique: Who would you consider a better basketball player? You or him?
SH: He is definitely a better basketball player. Definitely.
Nique: Did you ever think about playing basketball in college at all?
SH: I always wanted to, but I would’ve had to get that by Coach Johnson and I know him.
Nique: What NFL team do you follow?
SH: The Falcons. That’s my home team.
Nique: How do you think they are going to do this year?
SH: I always think that they are going to do well. Even if I know they are going to lose I always pull for them.
Nique: Who is your favorite athlete?
SH: My favorite athlete is my father. Even though he didn’t go to the pros he actually played a little in college and in high school he played four sports. That’s why I pick him. He played football, basketball, and ran track.
Nique: What kind of music do you listen to?
SH: I love slow jams. Yes, oldies slow jams.
Nique: You a good singer at all? You sing along at all?
SH: Yes I sing along! But… by myself.
Nique: Out of all the female celebrities out there, which one would you most want to date?
SH: That’s a great question. It would be Gabrielle Union. She looks really good.
Nique: Which teammate would you consider the funniest in the locker room?
SH: Well… Me! We have Steven Sylvester. He is really funny. He is good at imitating all the coaches. It is a lot of fun in there, but I am mostly the main joker out of everybody.
Nique: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
SH: I don’t eat ice cream at all. I just don’t like it. I don’t like the taste.
Nique: What would you consider the most exciting part of playing football for Georgia Tech?
SH: The fans, the atmosphere and the rivalry against Georgia. That’s the biggest game. I love it. I love it.