T.Y. Hilton’s induction into FIU Sports Hall of Fame ‘a dream come true’

T.Y. Hilton doesn’t hold a grudge.

When he graduated from Miami Springs High in 2008, Hilton didn’t have a scholarship offer from the hometown Miami Hurricanes. He was a first-team All-Dade selection by the Herald in both football and basketball, but he was small in stature, and that left him vastly undervalued as just a two-star prospect, according to various recruiting services.

Instead of Miami, Hilton signed with a relatively new program, FIU, where he became a star wide receiver and kick returner. After college, Hilton was an even bigger star in the NFL, earning four Pro Bowl selections while playing for the Indianapolis Colts.

On Friday night, Hilton, now 35 and retired as a player, was inducted into FIU’s Sports Hall of Fame.

“This is a dream come true,” Hilton said. “It hasn’t hit me yet.”

Asked on Friday about that Hurricanes snub more than 17 years ago, Hilton seemed at peace with how everything worked out for him.

“I’m self-motivated,” he said. “I don’t need extra motivation.

“I know a lot of other high schools had talented wide receivers, but none of them were me. Their [Miami’s] loss.”

As a prep senior, Hilton grabbed 16 touchdown passes, and he also scored four times on kickoff/punt returns in just 10 games.

He was so good as a returner that he promised coach Mario Cristobal — then at FIU and now at Miami — that he would score a touchdown on his first collegiate touch.

And that’s exactly what happened as Hilton raced 74 yards for a touchdown on a punt return in a 40-10 loss at No. 14 Kansas.

“He kept his promise,” said Frank Ponce, who was FIU’s wide receivers coach at the time.

Ponce, who is now on FIU’s staff as the associate head coach/tight ends, was also at Friday’s Hall of Fame ceremony.

“This means a lot to me personally,” Ponce said of Hilton’s induction. “T.Y. is a man of integrity with a great work ethic, brought up the right way by his mom and dad. And he has always been loyal to FIU.”

As fond of Ponce is of Hilton, the coach admits he didn’t foresee this Hall of Fame career when he first scouted the wide receiver.

Hilton signed with FIU in February of 2008. Ponce, meanwhile, was the last coach hired by the Panthers for that recruiting cycle.

“When I got here, T.Y. was already in the process of being recruited,” Ponce said. “I was told to take a look at [Hilton] on tape.

“I watched him. He looked small in stature. I thought he was a good player, but I had no idea he was going to be that dynamic.”

So, what made Hilton so good?

There are two key answers to that it seems: blazing speed/quickness and high football IQ.

That first factor is obvious for anyone who saw him play, but Hilton’s intelligence was something people might not know. Hilton was meticulous about asking questions and making sure he was prepared for game day.

“There is a reason why he played so long at a high level,” Ponce said. “T.Y. was always two steps ahead of everyone else.

“He was probably the smartest kid I’ve ever coached.”

Willie Simmons, who is in his first year as FIU’s coach, was an assistant at Middle Tennessee when Hilton was blazing his trail for the Panthers.

“We had to build a whole defensive game plan to try to stop him,” Simmons said. “Didn’t work. He still tore us up like he did everybody.”

Simmons said Hilton is “an amazing man” and a great ambassador for FIU.

“He had phenomenal ball skills and athleticism – lightning in a bottle,” Simmons said.

“His induction is long overdue. There is no greater player at FIU than T.Y. Hilton. To be able to say he is enshrined and part of our program forever is the next step to building this program to what we know it can become.”

Hilton, meanwhile, was thrilled that several of his former FIU teammates turned out for his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, including quarterback Paul McCall; running back Darian Mallary; and wide receivers Wayne Times and Jason Frierson.

FIU had been 1-11 the year before Hilton arrived. But by the time he finished his four years at FIU, Hilton had led the Panthers to the first two bowl appearances in program history in 2010 and 2011.

“I’m glad I was able to come here and showcase my talents,” Hilton said. “FIU believed in me, and I gave them everything I had.”

That was more than enough, according to Ponce.

“You don’t have a T.Y. Hilton come along every day,” Ponce said. “He was special. He was a generational player.”