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Nebraska’s Tommi Hill brings leadership to young DBs room








Nebraska’s Tommi Hill runs with the ball after intercepting a Purdue pass on Oct. 28, 2023, at Memorial Stadium.




It stands for game ain’t based on sympathy — an acronym Husker defensive back Tommi Hill always had in his head.

“If you play at a high standard, and you make good plays, bad plays,” Hill said. “You won’t get emotional.”

Hill echoed this sentiment to coach Matt Rhule at the team’s senior retreat. It’s time to win at Nebraska, and there’s “no room for sympathy” — another of Hill’s mantras.

Rhule said this week that his players have all had opportunities to improve in the spring and summer, and the coaching staff is working to ensure that those putting in the work and playing the best are on the field.

“We’ll do it with empathy, we’ll do it with humility,” Rhule said. “We will walk them through it, but we are not going to do it with sympathy.”

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Hill embraced this, and worked to become a more prominent leader. Entering his third season with the Huskers and fourth in college, he is helping the freshman defensive backs. It’s as much about keeping their heads up as anything else.

And he wants the underclassmen to look to how he plays.

Hill doesn’t take anything for granted. So if he makes a bad play, move on. The game does not have time for sympathy, get ready for the next play.

Hill doesn’t want the rest of the team to get down, either. Keep morale up.

He’s looking to build on a breakthrough 2023, when he led the team in interceptions (4) and pass breakups (9).

But he’s turning the page on that, too. He’s focusing on guarding the best receivers in practices, who have also helped him get better.

Another help to Hill this offseason is being able to focus on just one position.

In 2022, he moved to wide receiver and played snaps on both sides of the ball. He moved back to defensive back last season, and practiced solely at that position this offseason.

“I just play where the team needed me,” Hill said. “I’m not really a selfish player. I really try to make the team better.

“At the end of the season, they picked me at corner at full time, and I just had to show them what I had to do.”

Hill said his relationship with Rhule helped him become a better player and person, too. His improvements have reflected this offseason, as the Husker coach noted how the team has taken another step.

“Last year, they would say we want the defense to play,” Rhule said. “We don’t want to be the reason why we lose. I want the defense to be the reason why we win, in their mind.

“They’re starting to get on each other, they’re starting to hold each other way more accountable. The sensitivity is kind of going away, and that’s what great defenses are like such a high standard.”

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule speaks during a news conference on Tuesday.







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