EDITOR’S NOTE: Enjoy this look back at one of this year’s Odessa Athletics Hall of Fame honorees. This year’s banquet is scheduled Nov. 3 at the Odessa Marriott. Other honorees include OC rodeo great Jim Watkins, the 1989 Permian High School state and national champion Permian Panthers and Coach Gary Gaines, track star Kerry Evans, gridiron great Glen Halsell and also the 1946 Odessa High Bronchos state championship football team.
BY SUE BROWN
Texas Press Association
Lloyd Hill was a standout athlete throughout his high school and collegiate career and one of the greatest receivers anyone had ever seen.
His athleticism was honed as a youth playing T-ball during the summer in Lamesa while visiting his aunt and uncle. His Uncle Willie Hill was a big influence on him. He played soccer, basketball and then football. His Pop Warner team, the Vikings in Odessa, helped to pave the way to playing football successfully. His friend, another Permian athlete, Ivory Christian, was a fellow Pop Warner teammate.
Three coaches stood out during these formative years: L.V. Miles, who happened to be the uncle of James Earl “Boobie” Miles, standout fullback of “Friday Night Lights” fame, Bilbo Jackson and “Papa” — Hill can’t recall his real name.
A lifelong Odessan, Hill attended Hayes, Goliad, and Hood Junior High. He was looking forward to going to Ector High School because influential uncles on his mother’s side, Trey and Freddie Pierce, had attended. But the school became a junior high school and that led Hill to enroll in Permian High.
As a junior high athlete, Hill gives praise to his coaches Ken Knuth, Mike Sadler and Larry Morris. They all encouraged him to be a good player.
Hill played for Permian 1987 to 1989. He was the greatest receiver then District 4-5A had ever seen. He posted career numbers that dwarfed any that came before him. He set sophomore receiving marks in 1987 in catches (24) and yards (593) and then grabbed school records in single-season yards (1,317) and touchdowns (15) a year later.
He was a key two-way starter on Permian’s state and national championship team in 1989 with a 16-0 season. His record would be broken later for most single season yards at 1,317 by little brother Roy Williams.
He was named a Parade All-American wide receiver and also to the Whataburger All-Star Football Game’s North squad.
The late coach Gary Gaines at the time said Hill was very deserving. “It’s certainly a neat honor, and it couldn’t go to a better young man.”
Hill was the only Texan named to that Parade list.
Hill became the last Permian player to be named an All-American. He gives credit to all the coaches at Permian – Gary Gaines, Tam Hollingshead, Mike Belew, Larry Currie and Randy Mays.
Following one of Hill’s biggest games of 1989, defensive coordinator Tam Hollingshead praised Hill’s work on defense. “We knew his importance on the defensive side of the football,” Hollingshead told the OA.
During that game against Aldine, Hill was in on 12 tackles and had a one-handed solo collar of an Aldine player that saved a certain touchdown. He also recovered a fumble while on defense that day. “He just knocked the dog out of some folks today,” Hollingshead said after the game.
Hill would go on to set every significant receiving record at Texas Tech during the 1990-1993 seasons, including career yards (3,059), receptions (189) and touchdowns (12). In 1992 he became the last Red Raider receiver to be named first-team All-American for his efforts. Hill was also inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
He was drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears in the 1994 NFL draft and played arena football for the Texas Terror/Houston Thunderbears (1996-1999) and the New England Sea Wolves (1999).
Hill hopes that his fellow Odessans remember him as a team player who worked hard.
“I was doing my job to help my team win,” said Hill. Hill recounted a story of Ray Sanchez, a buddy of his who was a scout to help them get ready for the next games. Ray wanted to quit, and Hill told him not to because they relied on him. Sanchez said that he needed to hear that and subsequently didn’t stop scouting.
Trapper O’Connell wrote this on Hill’s nomination. “Lloyd has always been a humble, respectful and above all loyal teammate and leader. He has exemplified this in all sports, education and business. He is a generational example of a citizen of Odessa that makes our city stronger and proud in a way that carries young people onto higher goals and achievements. I am a lifetime fan of this person and would follow him to the top of any mountain. Thank you for allowing me to nominate this outstanding athlete and model representative of our city.”
Of course behind every successful person there are supportive family members. His mother, Chris Hill, was his biggest fan. “She raised three boys and kept us all on the straight and narrow,” said Hill. “If I messed up, I didn’t get to play. She would come to school and walk into the classroom to let me know. I was scared and embarrassed.” His has two brothers, Tracy Hill and baby brother Roy Williams, a University of Texas standout and one of the inductees into the Odessa Athletics Hall of Fame last year.
His wife, Hannah, has been by his side, too. They have two children, Chasiddy, 26, who played volleyball and graduated from Texas A&M-Commerce with a degree in accounting. Their son, Keanu, 21, is following his dad’s footsteps by playing football at Brigham Young University.
The Hills currently live in Bedford where he is a claims adjuster for Farmer’s Insurance.
GET YOUR TICKETS
Don’t miss the Odessa Athletics Hall of Fame banquet scheduled at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Odessa Marriott.
- Call 432-333-7612 or visit tinyurl.com/ycx2wr7y
