After an 11-year career in the NFL and a few off after he retired, former Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton was named the head coach at his alma mater, Miami Springs (FL), last December.
In his first year with the program, Hilton led the program not only to a winning record, but its first postseason win in over three decades.
The Golden Hawks entered the postseason with an 8-2 record, their best record since 2007, but had to travel to Dillard (FL) for their first postseason matchup.
Having to travel didn't seem to bother Hilton's team. Beating Dillard 33-22, Miami Springs won its first postseason game since 1993. With the win, the Golden Hawks will travel to Bishop
Verot on Nov. 20 for a region semifinal showdown.
Long before he was a standout at Florida International or a Pro-Bowler in the NFL playing with Andrew Luck, Hilton was a standout player for the school his now coaches.
Hilton broke onto the scene as a sophomore, playing as a two-way standout for the Golden Hawks and finishing the year with 650 receiving yards and eight interceptions.
As a senior, he caught 42 passes for 785 yards and 16 touchdowns and also scored four special teams touchdowns in 10 games. While the Golden Hawks finished 8-2 that year, they did not win a postseason game.
Hilton stayed fairly close to home for college, committing to FIU as a two-star prospect. However, he quickly proved that ratings may not mean much. As a freshman with the Panthers, Hilton caught 41 passes for 1,013 yards and seven touchdowns.
After four years with the Panthers, he finished his college career with 229 receptions for 3,531 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Indianapolis Colts selected him with the 92nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
From there, he quickly became Luck's favorite target, earning Pro Bowl honors in four straight seasons from 2014-2017. In his 11 seasons, Hilton caught 638 passes for 9,812 yards and 53 touchdowns.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-Colts Pro-Bowler leads high school alma mater to first playoff win in three decades
