In 2001, quarterback Talmadge Hill helped lead the Ball State football team to an upset victory over the Toledo Rockets during homecoming. Today, he is helping lead the Peoria Pirates, an Arena Football League 2 team.
"It's great to get back playing football," Hill said. "It's always been a dream of mine."
On Saturday, in his fourth game with the Pirates, he threw for 304 yards in a 51-50 overtime victory against the No. 4 ranked Louisville Fire.
"It was a great game; really up and down the whole way," Hill said.
The game reminded Hill of when the Cardinals defeated a Toledo team that entered the matchup with a 12-game winning streak back in 2001, he said. Both games were up and down and close.
The Cardinals sealed the victory in 2001 with a 100-yard kickoff return, and afterwards fans tore the goal posts down and carried them to the duck pond.
This time after the win, Hill and his teammates celebrated by running off the field giving high fives and screaming. The Pirates moved to 5-6 overall. The team has won three of the four games Hill has played in.
Hill had a slow start to the game, throwing two picks in the first half, and he knew if he threw one more, he was going to be pulled. He calmed down in the second and helped his team get a touchdown every time they needed one. He threw for 117 yards and had three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The biggest drive was the final one of the quarter; with one minute left in the game and the Pirates down 36-41, Hill threw a touchdown pass to Lawrence Matthews. He also completed a pass to Brandon Campbell for a two-point conversion to give the Pirates a 44-41 lead.
Louisville would send the game to overtime though after making a field goal with three seconds remaining.
Hill kept doing what he needed to put his team in front, once again he completed a pass to Matthews in overtime. Matthews hit the side wall, but no one touched him, so he wasn't down and just ran it for a touchdown.
Louisville answered with its own touchdown but decided to go for the win with a two point conversion. The Fire's pass attempt was at the feet of the receiver and as the ball hit the ground, the Pirates jumped in the air in celebration.
Hill found himself in Peoria after spending the first part of the summer working out and, seeing whether some doors would open up.
After working out with the Chicago Bears and sending tape to the Canadian Football League, he went to a scouting combine on May 9, where he meet Bruce Cowdrey, the head coach at Peoria.
Cowdrey told Hill the Pirates had a strong defense but was looking to build up its offense.
"I figured it was an opportunity to keep playing and learn the game some more," Hill said.
He took it and played his first game on May 29t against Albany. He entered the game in the second half and in two series went 2-for-5 with one touchdown and one interception.
Hill got his first start in the next game, but it was one for him to quickly forget. He went 16-for-35 for 122 yards with two interceptions in a 57-29 loss to Green Bay.
Part of the reason Hill got off to a rocky start could be contributed to the differences in the arena game. A football field 50-yards long, eight guys and men in motion all the time are just a few of things that make the game different.
"It's without a doubt a completely different game," Hill said. "That's what took me the longest to get used to."
He must have gotten used to it the following week. In a matchup against Louisville at home, he completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.
After this weekends win, Hill said he knew it would be hard to beat a team twice. However, he helped the Pirates do it, and it may be the turning point in his season and career.
Hill said he wants to use his experience in Arena League 2 to help develop his career and keep moving up leagues.
"I figure I've got the rest of my life to sit behind a desk, so why not try and keep playing," Hill said.
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