Jay Hill Excited To Begin Weber State Football Spring Camp After 405-Day Layoff

OGDEN, Utah – From the last game that Jay Hill and Weber State football played their last game to the day that they opened spring camp is 405 days.

Weber State football head coach Jay Hill is excited to get spring camp started in preparation for the 2021 season. Entering his seventh season, Hill knew this day would come but it took a long time to get here.

“I knew the time would come eventually,” Hill told the media on Friday afternoon. “It’s obviously very good to be here. We still got a lot of hurdles we’re overcoming with masks and social distancing, and COVID testing and all the other things that come with it. But I know the players excited to be back out on the field and the coaches getting ready for something that is what we do.”

🏈 IS BACK!!!#WeAreWeber #PurpleReign #BigSkyFB https://t.co/7dGsuFLovl

— Weber State Football 🏈 (@weberstatefb) January 29, 2021

Weber State Football Players Wanted To Play Spring Season

Many of the Big Sky Conference teams including Sacramento State, Montana and Montana State decided to not play a season in the spring. That wasn’t the case in Ogden as the Weber State Wildcats wanted to play two seasons in one calendar year.

“We want to play for sure,” stated Hill. “Those two Montana coaches were competitive guys, it’s just with the weather up there, they just didn’t feel that that was the right or the fair thing to do to them or their players or for whatever reason, but we’re moving forward. It’s raining like crazy out there right now, we just got off the football field, we’re moving forward as though we’re gonna have obstacles and things are gonna come up. We’re gonna have to overcome them and be ready for a good Idaho State team that first game, who’s been practicing for a month in the dome. So bottom line is not always going to be equal and you got to find a way to do it. Our goal right now is to get to that first game and play great and then just take one game at a time after that.”

Senior defensive lineman standout Jared Schiess was all in when asked if he wanted to play this season.

“I completely think that we should play,” Schiess said. “I feel like it’s good, not just for us, as individuals, but coaches, our family, our friends in the community, as well up here in Ogden. I feel like the people need something to get back to some kind of normal, not just for us, but for everybody. To a point, to get back to something that we love to do. I think the community would really enjoy it. I know for sure our family and friends are excited for watching football games again.”

🏈 practice in January! LET’S GO!#PurpleReign #WeAreWeber #BigSkyFB pic.twitter.com/dgkfj77yn7

— Weber State Football 🏈 (@weberstatefb) January 29, 2021

Running Back Position Is Deep

Something that Weber State has consistently been strong at offensively is their running back position. The group is four deep with all-league caliber players led by Josh Davis and Kevin Smith.

“Well, we’ve got good backs,” Hill mentioned. “Quinton Ganther, in my opinion, the best running back coach in the country. So that guy is leading those two (Josh Davis, Kevin Smith). That’s just them. The guy that led our team last year in touchdowns, Kris Jackson, I mean, people kind of overlook sometimes because the other two are so good. But Kris led our team in touchdowns last year. I like our running back crew. Dontae McMillan is our fourth back. I’m telling you, he could start at most schools across the country and he’s gonna play a lot this year. So the running back room is deep, it will be by committee so that we can keep them healthy through the hopeful 26 games this year. But, you got to feed your top dogs. So Kevin and Josh will get tons of carries and I think they compliment each other very, very well.”

The Wildcats begin the 2021 spring season on Saturday, February 27 at Idaho State.