Former Aztecs running back Ronnie Hillman inducted in San Diego Bowl Games Hall of Fame – elcajon newson Elcajon News only

Torrential rains in San Diego leading up to the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl put the game between San Diego State and Navy in jeopardy because of flooding on the field at Qualcomm Stadium.

More than 1.5 million gallons of rainwater was pumped out overnight and the game went on as scheduled, though players were slipping and sliding on the slick field throughout the evening.

“My socks got wet,” SDSU running back Ronnie Hillman said after the game. “That’s not a good feeling when you’ve got cleats on.”

Hillman did his best not to show it, running on water for 228 yards and scoring four touchdowns in SDSU’s 35-14 win. He was selected Offensive MVP after helping the Aztecs to their first bowl victory in 41 years.

That performance was remembered Wednesday night when Hillman was honored as the 37th member of the San Diego Bowl Games Hall of Fame at the annual DirecTV Holiday Bowl Directors Dinner.

“We’re excited to induct Ronnie into the San Diego Bowl Games Hall of Fame,” Sports San Diego CEO Mark Neville said. “He had an amazing performance in front of a home crowd here in San Diego, and one that was emblematic of the offensive explosions the Holiday and Poinsettia Bowl games are known for each year.”

Members of Hillman’s family as well as nearly a dozen former Aztecs players attended the event along with SDSU AD John David Wicker and former coach Brady Hoke.

The induction ceremony included comments from Hoke and a video tribute to Hillman, who died two years at 31 from a rare form of kidney cancer.

Holiday Bowl president Jackie Reed presented his mother Tiffany with a plaque of Hillman that included drawings by artist Chris Paluso.

“I certainly wish Ronnie was alive to accept this honor,” Hoke said. “He’s had such a tremendous impact on our team that season, and the win over Navy was spectacular. It was a magical night. Ronnie was the most dominant player on the field. I miss his smile and energy.”

Hillman rushed for 1,304 yards and 14 touchdowns as a freshman during the 2010 regular season.

Hillman earned Offensive MVP for his Poinsettia Bowl performance, which included breaking the Poinsettia Bowl record of 129 yards rushing by Navy’s Adam Ballard in 2005.

Hillman rushed for 22- and 37-yard touchdowns to help the Aztecs to a 21-14 halftime lead. In the fourth quarter, he caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Lindley and scored on a 1-yard run.

“I had the best seat in the house for some of those runs Ronnie broke in the Poinsettia Bowl,” Lindley said. “Like he did so many times, once the line opened up that sam, you just knew he was gone.”

Lindley recalled how the rain disrupted bowl activities, raining out trips to the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld, and practices.

“We had our last practice in the ballroom of the hotel,” he said. “But, thinking back now, it probably played into Ronnie’s hand. He didn’t need the prep. It was clear he was the most gifted player on that field that night.”

Lindley remembered Hillman as someone with an infectious smile.

“People say that, but really he was unreal,” Lindley said. “The guy could always light up a room, or a huddle.

“He’d find the right time, even breaking a serious moment with a joke and that million-dollar smile.”

Hillman, a Long Beach native who grew up in Compton, started an unprecedented nine-year run in which SDSU had 11 players reach the 1,000-yard rushing milestone.

Hillman ran for 1,532 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010 and added 1,711 yards and 19 TDs as a sophomore in 2011 before declaring for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Hillman’s rushing efforts both rank among SDSU’s top 10 single-season efforts. His 3,243 total yards rank fifth on SDSU’s all-time rushing list, behind only DJ Pumphrey (6,405), Marshall Faulk (4,589), Rashaad Penny (3,656) and Larry Ned (3,792).

In 2011, Hillman helped SDSU to its first 3-0 start in three decades with a 191-yard, four-touchdown performance in a win over Washington State. He rushed for at least 100 yards in eight games that year. Hillman collected almost that many yards on one carry, scoring on a 99-yard run in a game against Wyoming.

The Denver Broncos selected Hillman in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he played most of his six-year career with the Broncos.

Hillman’s best season was 2015, when he rushed for 863 yards and seven touchdowns and was part of the Broncos team that defeated Carolina 24-10 in Super Bowl 50.

He also played for the Vikings (2016), Chargers (2016) and Cowboys (2017), rushing for 1,976 career yards with 12 TDs. Hillman also was a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield, with 74 career receptions for 524 yards.

San Diego Bowl Games Hall of Fame members

(induction year in parenthesis)

PLAYERS

Major Applewhite, QB, Texas, 2001 (2011)

Kyle Basler, P, Washington State, 2003 (2013)

Bobby Bell, DE, Missouri, 1983 (1995)

Robbie Bosco, QB, BYU, 1984 1997

Clay Brown, TE, BYU, 1978-1980 (1993)

Reggie Campbell, RB, Navy 2005* (2013)

Ty Detmer, QB, BYU, 1989-1991 (2001)

Mike Gundy, QB, Oklahoma State, 1988 (2003)

Darran Hall, WR, Colorado State, 1997 (2007)

Joey Harrington, QB, Oregon, 2000 (2011)

Raymont Harris, RB, Ohio State 1993 (2003)

Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State, 2010 (2024)

Craig James, RB, SMU, 1980 (1997)

Brian Kavanagh, QB, Kansas State, 1995 (2005)

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Cal, 2006 (2020)

Phil McConkey, WR, Navy, 1978 (1993)

Jim McMahon, QB, BYU, 1978, 1980-1981 (1993)

Bart Oates, C, BYU, 1980-82 (2005)

Bucky Richardson, QB, Texas A&M, 1990 (2001)

Barry Sanders, RB, Oklahoma State, 1988 (1999)

Tim Spencer, RB, Ohio State, 1982 (1995)

Leon White, LB, BYU, 1982-84 (2001)

Kyle Whittingham, LB, BYU, 1978-1981 (2009)

Steve Young, QB, BYU, 1982-1983 (1995)

COACHES

Mack Brown, Texas/North Carolina, 2000-01, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2022 (2015)

LaVell Edwards, BYU 1978-84, 1989-91, 1993 (1993)

Hayden Fry, Iowa, 1986-87, 1991 (1995)

Sonny Lubick, Colorado State, 1994-95, 1997, 2005 (2009)

Bill Snyder, Kansas State, 1995, 1999, 2002 (2007)

BOWL EXECUTIVES

Bruce Binkowski, 1978-2014 (2015)

Richard K. Circuit, 1986-present (2013)

Herb Klein, 1981-2009 (2009)

Les Land, 1978 (2003)

John Reid, 1980-2000 (2001)

Cheryl Tishue, 1995-2024 (2023)

G.E. “Vinnie” Vinson, 1978-1995 (2011)

MEDIA

Tony Roberts, broadcaster, 1979-2005 (2005)