Pat Fitzgerald was kind enough to leave Joe Biden on January 20 and get the long-awaited news of football out of the way.
After fans realized that the NU could be receiving a new transfer quarterback last week, South Carolina signal interlocutor Ryan Hilinski officially announced on Tuesday night that he will be transferred to Northwestern. The second year, with the extra year granted by the NCAA to all players, will have three remaining seasons of eligibility. He’s probably the favorite to win the spot this fall.
Hilinski played only two games last season, after starting 11 games as a real freshman in 2019, posting a 4-7 record. During his first year at Columbia, he passed 2,357 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He set school freshman records for passing and attempting completion, as well as a program record for 180 consecutive passes without interception.
Last season, he completed just 4 of 6 attempts for 34 yards, with Collin Hill and Luke Doty taking most of the strokes in the center. Hill followed South Carolina’s offensive coordinator Mike Bobo from the state of Colorado last year.
The California native is considered a professional-style quarterback, known for his strong arm and IQ in football. He was classified as a four-star recruit in high school and made a strong connection with Northwestern during his initial recruitment, before finally choosing to commit to South Carolina.
Her family created the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation for the mental health awareness of college athletes in honor of her older brother, Tyler, a former Washington State defender who committed suicide in 2018.
With Peyton Ramsey declared for the draft and TJ Green advancing into the next chapter of his life, Northwestern’s quarterback room will undergo changes while Hilinski competes with Hunter Johnson and Andrew Marty for the starting role this offseason.