Holl's big season cut short
HAMILTON, N.Y. — T.J. Holl wasn't in the midst of just a productive season, he was on pace to have a historic campaign for Colgate University's football team.
Then, abruptly, it was cut short.
A 2015 Seneca Valley High School graduate, Holl was in his first year as a starting linebacker for the Raiders, and had amassed 52 tackles through the first three-plus games of the season.
That total was tops in the nation among Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) teams. Then came the fourth quarter of a game against Furman Sept. 23.
Holl was attempting to make a tackle when he sustained several major injuries to his right leg.
“I tried to get up and I felt this pain in my leg, so I just went down to the turf,” said Holl. “I had to be helped off the field and once I got there, the trainer started to look at me. He was asking me to move my foot and my toes and I did all of that and I felt I was good to get back out there.
“But it was all adrenaline at that point. The trainer could feel the break in my leg and said, 'You're not going back out there.'”
Holl had broken his fibula and tore ligaments on both sides of his ankle. He was crushed when he was told he was done for the season.
“I was really bummed out,” he said. “I was chomping at the bit to be a starter. I was excited to be a leader on the defense and then I go out and start the season the way I did. I pretty much kept to myself for the first couple weeks after I got injured. I received a lot of support from my teammates, coaches and family, but I was pretty down.”
Holl's disappointment was tempered a bit when he found out that he would receive a medical redshirt, meaning he would still have two years of eligibility remaining.
“I was right on the line for receiving the redshirt,” he said, “but since my injury was so bad and it required surgery, those things carry a lot of weight and I think that's what got it (redshirt) for me.
“It was nice to have that knowledge in my back pocket during my rehab, just knowing I still had two years left to play.”
Holl helped his fellow linebackers on the team as much as he could with not being able to play. The Raiders finished the season 7-4 overall, including a five-game winning streak to close the season.
Holl bided his time toward becoming a starter. He played on special teams his first two seasons, while also being Colgate's first linebacker in reserve and making one start due to an injury to a teammate.
“The fact that I was the next guy up last year and because we graduated one of our starting linebackers, I figured I was going to step into a starting role this year. I knew I needed to be mentally and physically ready for it. I missed most of spring practice with an injured left wrist, but by mid-summer, I was full-go.”
Holl starred on both offense and defense at Seneca Valley, but most of his splash plays came as a dual-threat quarterback, where he started as a junior and senior. In his varsity career, his passing and rushing accounted for 44 touchdowns.
Though now exclusively a defensive player, Holl (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) still brings the same mind-set to the field.
“I told my coaches that if they wanted me to gain 100 pounds and play nose tackle, I'd do it,” he said. “I consider myself a football player and will play any position. I haven't lost any of the excitement for football and I still have the same mojo right before a game.”
Holl was recently cleared to resume full workouts and is eager to get back to making plays within Colgate's 3-4 scheme.
“We're not a go-in-and-fill-the-gaps type of linebacking corps,” he said. “Our defense allows us to slide, make reads and attack. It lets you play with instinct. I may not be the biggest or fastest linebacker, but instincts are one of my strengths. I always seem to be around the ball.
“I'm looking forward to taking part in the winter conditioning and I hope to get in the best shape of my life. I should be ready to go for spring practice.”
