Churchland coach Dontrell Leonard gaped as a freshman quarterback dazzled his way toward him.
Brandyn Hillman, then playing for the junior varsity against Smithfield, sprinted down the sideline and halted as two defenders whiffed, then he leaped over another foe as he capped his touchdown run with a signal to Leonard.
“He gave me the Texas Longhorn signal, saying this is what you have to look forward to,” Leonard said. “I’m in the back of the end zone sitting and we just looked at each other, me and my defensive backs coach.”
Hillman, 6-feet-1 and 191 pounds, has developed into an excellent dual-threat quarterback, earning second-team All-Tidewater honors last year as a junior with 1,082 passing yards and 1,314 rushing yards. He was also the Class 4 Region A Offensive Player of the Year.
Early this season, his dynamic play has helped him climb the recruiting charts and gain scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Kentucky, Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Tennessee, among others.
Hillman, rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, is fifth in Hampton Roads this season with 729 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
“He’s the motor, the transmission and the spark plug to our team,” Leonard said.
No. 9 Churchland (4-1) rebounded after a season-opening 33-27 defeat to No. 7 Western Branch with four straight wins but faces perhaps its toughest test Friday when the Truckers host No. 4 Maury at 7 p.m.
Hillman has let his bruising running style take over games. Instead of the flashy runs to the outside that first got Leonard’s attention, he’s a powerful runner between the tackles who can still break through for massive gains.
“Brandyn honestly is probably one of the only quarterbacks that actually delivers the blow to people,” Leonard said. “This thing is dating back to ninth-grade year when we’d seen this kid run kids over.”
Hillman also breaks down defenders with his football IQ.
“His form (has improved),” Leonard said. “Keeping the ball at his chest instead of his stomach region so when he sees the read, he can just snap it. He’s throwing off-platform now. There’s nothing the kid couldn’t do on the football field.”
Maturation is evident, especially after a heartbreaking play in the region quarterfinals against Deep Creek. Hillman was tackled just short on a two-point conversion attempt that would have given the Truckers the win. Instead they fell to the Hornets 35-34.
Hillman is determined to prove “that was a fluke,” he said after a win over Booker T. Washington last month. “We’re here. We’re here for better things. We’re trying to make it to that state championship game.”
Motivation to rectify that loss has bled into this season.
“He took that game hard that night, and that’s kinda something he’s living on this year,” Leonard said. “He’s much, much stronger. His IQ of what we’re doing offensively is through the roof. He’s a hard worker and one of the kids we don’t have to watch. He puts in work when we’re on the field and when we’re off the field. In our group chat he’s getting guys together to come throw at the school.”
Through all his layers and attributes, Leonard likes to sum it up simply.
“Dynamic,” Leonard said. “One word.”
Ray Nimmo, ray.nimmo@pilotonline.com
