Du Quoin native Nick Hill has worn more than one team color since the Saluki maroon and now sports the black and white of the Carbondale Community High School Terriers.

On July 18, Hill was named head football coach for the high school. Hill stepped in as the interim coach for the summer camp that began July 15 after former head coach Dan Koester resigned.

Carbondale Community High School superintendent Stephen Murphy said even though they had to fill the position in such a short window of time, he is excited about the hire.

“Luckily, on a tight time frame we had a great candidate in Nick,” Murphy said. “It was a pretty easy choice.”

Before attending SIU, Hill graduated from DuQuion High School in 2003 and spent one year at Western Kentucky University where he played basketball. Hill was successful in football as well as basketball in high school, being named to both first team all-state and first team all-conference in football his senior year. He was also a first-team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association selection his junior and senior year.

Hill played in four games during his first full season with the Salukis. His third year was a productive one as he was named to the Gateway Conference All-Academic first team. He was also ranked seventh in the nation in passing efficiency with a 156.7 rating. Hill and the Salukis lost in the NCAA Division I Football Championship semi-final in 2007 to current Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and the Blue Hens of the University of Delaware.

After college, Hill moved on to play for four teams in the Arena Football League and two NFL teams where he was the backup behind Kyle Orton for the Chicago Bears and Aaron Rodgers for the Green Bay Packers.

Hill was also named to the SIU All-Century football team with fellow quarterbacks Jim Hart, Rick Johnson and Joel Sambursky.

“Athletically, it’s probably the biggest honor I’ve ever received,” Hill said. “A program that’s been around for 100 years, there’s been a lot of quarterbacks only four of us were named, it’s a great honor.”

Hill said it’s exciting to be a head coach because he always wanted to be one and he is happy he chose this as a career path.

He said even though he’s played professional football all over the country, he knew where he wanted to end up.

“I’m from southern Illinois. I love southern Illinois,” Hill said. “I’ve lived all over the country playing professional football and I knew eventually I wanted to get back here.”

University of Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill was Hill’s coach during his time at SIU. Kill said Hill was a great leader, a great football player and a great person.

Kill said he doesn’t think there’s any doubt that Hill can relate to his high school players and knows he has a wealth of knowledge about the game.

“He studied the game when he played the game,” Kill said. “He could rally people around him.”

Hill has had ups and downs since taking over the Carbondale head coach position but the players have responded well to him.

CCHS Senior middle linebacker Mitch Lauder said it helps the team having a football mind like Hill at the helm.

“It’s great, the plays that he brings in, the mindset and everything to get everybody involved,” Lauder said.

The Terriers are currently 4-3 and have lost three of their last four games. Hill said the next two games are crucial for their season.

“It’s a big game against Marion and we can really turn things around and get our momentum going into the playoffs if we can get these wins,” Hill said.