KINGSTON, R.I. - Before each game, URI Rams' quarterback
Kasim Hill takes to the field and runs to the 79-yard line in memory of his friend and former teammate, Jordan McNair, who passed away when they played together at the University of Maryland. McNair's jersey number was 79.
At that moment, Hill's past and present collide, calling to mind the dark times he faced and the adversity he overcame, to lead him to the University of Rhode Island, where he will end his lengthy collegiate tenure, and face a future that he hopes will include a position on an NFL team now that several recruiters have expressed interest.
"I never thought I would end up in Rhode Island," he said.
But a series of unfortunate circumstances at two previous universities decided that for him.
Hill, born in Delaware, moved with his family to Maryland shortly after his younger sister Kaylah was born with Down Syndrome, to better provide for her special needs. In high school, he played running back and linebacker positions, until a coach elevated him to quarterback because "he looked like he could throw."
He began his collegiate football career at Maryland in 2017, becoming the starting quarterback in 2018.
Knee injuries, surgeries, rehab, and especially McNair's death, all complicated his season and made him question his willingness and ability to continue playing football.
Hill felt overcome with guilt following the death of his teammate and friend, going through the motions and didn't feel like himself as a player or leader before another injury ended his season.
"The night before the MRI, I told myself, if it is another torn ACL, I am not going through all this again. I am done with football," he said.
It was, in fact, another torn anterior cruciate ligament for Hill.
With his sister's encouragement, he persevered, and endured surgery and rehab to get back into game shape.
"My sister has dealt with birth defects and adversity all her life. If she could go through it, so could I," Hill thought.
So, he gave himself a mental restart and made a full recovery, just in time to transfer to the University of Tennessee in 2019, but was unable to play due to transfer rules.
A call to high school friend
Ed Lee in 2019, then a URI Rams wide receiver, brought Hill to Rhode Island in August, and his place in URI's football legacy as number eight was born.
Since joining the Rams ahead of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Hill has led the team to three-straight winning seasons as a starter and is closing in on a fourth. He has twice been named CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week and was a recipient of the New England Football Writers' Association's Gold Helmet Award. The signal caller has helped Rhode Island achieve three-straight Governor's Cup victories over Brown University and has utilized his seventh and final year of collegiate eligibility to solidify his spot as the Rams' career leader in yards of total offense.
Soft-spoken, with intense eyes and understated charm, Hill has what he calls a "passionate fire" within him that drives him to succeed on and off the field.
He is also more than a student-athlete. A double major in communications studies and psychology, he aspires to be a beacon of hope for anyone facing adversity and a role model for other student-athletes who face the sneers, stereotypes and misconceptions of 'having it all'.
In his weekly podcast, "The Other Side," Hill talks with other student-athletes to bridge the gap between them and non-student athletes.
"We perform with our helmets on. People don't get to see our faces, don't get to hear our stories, what we deal with, where we come from," he said.
Hill's parents, Joe and Michele, both attorneys, and his sister Kaylah are at every game cheering him on. He believes it is important that his peers know there is more to him than a uniform.
"I have a heart, I care about things," he said.
He especially cares about being successful to help his sister who is the most influential person in his life, along with his parents. After high school, she wants to start her own business, and Hill wants to be by her side to help her achieve her goals and succeed.
Kasim Hill's story doesn't end in Rhode Island.
"I am a part of it now," he said.
And he will always be a part of it.
