When you build a football team, you want to give your quarterback all the tools he needs to lead a successful offense.

Then you just hope that your quarterback has all the tools necessary to be successful: intelligence, size and a strong arm to back it up.

Enter Western Michigan quarterback Tim Hiller.

The senior signal-caller stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 234 pounds, allowing him to look over his linemen without having to scramble out of the pocket.

Couple that with an accurate, powerful arm, and Hiller becomes a primary threat to any team he’s playing.

“I think [Hiller] has a chance to play at the next level,” said NIU head coach Jerry Kill. “He’s got a strong arm and can throw the ball all over the place. I think Hiller is very intelligent. He just mentally understands the game. You’re not going to trick him.”

A 4.0 GPA throughout his academic career serves as a testament to his intelligence. Hiller has already earned an undergraduate degree in business sales and marketing and is pursuing his master’s degree.

It’s always a plus when a quarterback has the smarts to know where to go with the football.
The Orrville, Ohio native has completed 101 of his 153 passing attempts this year, just over 66 percent of his throws.

Hiller has also thrown for 1,048 yards and eight touchdowns this season.

Those numbers aren’t the product of a breakout year, either. Hiller has been doing the same thing since he arrived in Kalamazoo.

After earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2005, Hiller has thrown for 84 touchdowns, tying him with former Miami (OH) quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on the MAC’s all-time list.

Hiller is a nominee for the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s best quarterback, and is also on the cusp of breaking many of WMU’s career passing records.

“He’s a good quarterback. He is similar to [Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle] with accuracy,” said NIU linebacker Cory Hanson. “They’re not mobile quarterbacks. They want to sit in the pocket and throw. He’s been good every year against us, and I think we’re ready for the challenge.”

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