Ohio State graduate linebacker Justin Hilliard (47) stands at the line of scrimmage during the Ohio State-Rutgers game on Nov. 7. Ohio State won 49-27. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Justin Hilliard is no stranger to setbacks.
The sixth-year linebacker has seen injuries — and now COVID-19 — alter his career. Entering his last season with the program, Hilliard’s misfortune found him once again and forced the first-time captain to miss two games before making his debut Saturday against Rutgers.
The Cincinnati native’s triumphant return to the field came just a week after a false positive COVID-19 test sidelined him for Ohio State’s game against Penn State.
Although a polymerase chain reaction test came up negative before kickoff, Hilliard was still forced to sit out of the game, but was allowed to remain on the sidelines.
With Hilliard’s struggles to stay on the field throughout his Buckeye career, he said he was upset missing an extra game.
“Obviously I was frustrated. I wanted to be part of that big game — playing Penn State with my brothers for the last time,” Hilliard said. “That was set aside quickly because we’ve got a goal to win that game and we did, so we’re moving forward from that.”
On the heels of Hilliard’s false positive, the Big Ten announced Thursday a testing policy change that would allow student-athletes who have a false positive test to be cleared to play if they test negative twice with the PCR test.
Despite his prolonged career, the Ohio native is urging his teammates to be appreciative of every moment.
“Something I’ve been trying to preach this season is just trying to get some of these younger guys, even some older guys, to realize how short this can be,” Hilliard said Saturday. “Take nothing for granted, live in the moment and take every single game, every single practice — do the best you can to keep getting better.”
Hilliard did not waste his chance to make an impact for the Ohio State defense. In the second quarter, Hilliard forced and recovered a fumble that would set the Buckeye offense up 32 yards from the end zone.
The linebacker said that forcing the ball out is something the team had been working on under the guidance of the coaching staff and that he was just happy to make the play.
Hilliard would finish the game with two tackles, and according to Pro Football Focus’ college football analysis, Hilliard graded out as the best linebacker in college football for Week 3.
After his early season absence due to an injury Week 1 and a false positive test ahead of Penn State, Hilliard’s return to the defense was appreciated by his peers in the linebacking corps.
Graduate linebacker Tuf Borland said having Hilliard back on the field provided a huge boost to the defense Saturday.
“The energy he brings on a daily basis, those are the types of guys that mean the most to your program,” Borland said. “He brings it every single day so credit to him.”
In order to translate that energy to a tangible impact on game days, Hilliard had to battle injuries throughout his career.
Playing in the 2019 season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury months earlier in the spring, Hilliard embodies a fighting mentality, graduate linebacker Baron Browning said.
“Feel like Justin’s the definition of a true warrior,”’ Browning said Oct. 1. “A guy who’s had the injuries he’s had, I feel like it would be easy for anybody to just give up and call it quits, but he’s always just found a way to keep pushing and keep pushing and keep pushing.”
Regardless of how Hilliard’s career has shaped up so far, the graduate recognized this will be his final opportunity to don the scarlet and gray.
“This whole offseason, the focus has been just keep getting better because I know this is my last shot at playing,” Hilliard said. “It was great to be back out there.”
