Dalton Hilliard - Football Coach

Dalton Hilliard

Title:
Cornerbacks Coach
Email:
dhillia1@utm.edu

Dalton Hilliard has spent one season as an assistant coach at UT Martin since joining the staff in 2019. He serves as the team's secondary coach.

In his first season at UT Martin, the Skyhawks ranked first in the OVC in pass defense efficiency while also pacing the league in scoring defense (19.5). The Skyhawks ranked third in the league with 13 interceptions while leading the league with three defensive touchdowns and a plus-5 turnover margin. The UT Martin corners boasted an impressive coverage stat allowing zero touchdowns against conference opponents.

As the corners coach in 2019, Hilliard coached All-OVC performer DaVonte Maura who earned all-conference second team honors after tallying 73 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, one interception and 11 pass breakups. Meanwhile, Ole Miss graduate transfer Cam Ordway started all 12 games while tallying 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and a sack.

His first recruiting class with the Skyhawks boasted a talented group of defensive backs, ranking as the No. 1 DB recruiting class in the OVC and top five nationally. Headlining the talented group was Anthony Prospere (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) who ranked as the nation's No. 1 defensive back recruit signed in the FBS for the 2020 class.

Before UT Martin, Hilliard was on staff at UCLA where he served as a defensive and special teams analyst for a season after spending the previous two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant from 2015-17. As a graduate assistant, he spent time at all major position groups on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker, defensive line and the secondary. Additionally, heavily assisted in recruiting – specifically in the Hawaii region. On game days he served as the defensive signal caller and helped with halftime adjustments and tendencies.

Prior to his time at UCLA, he spent a year as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Penahou High School (Hawaii).

After his collegiate career, Hilliard signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2013. Following his stint in the NFL, he played professional football in Italy, leading Seamen Milano to the team’s first Italian Super Bowl in 20 years.

Hilliard was a four-year safety at UCLA, seeing action in 41 games while earning 27 starts. He tallied 114 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception in his career. As a senior he was honored as the team’s Tommy Prothro Award for Outstanding Special Teams Player of the Year and one of three Kenneth S. Washington Award winners for Outstanding Senior of the Year. He also played in the Casino del Sol Collegiate All-Star game where he was a captain for the West team coached by the legendary Dick Tome. Hilliard returned an interception for a touchdown in the 40-7 blowout win against the East All-stars.

Hilliard was born in Chicago, Ill. but moved around as a child thanks to his father's service int he United State Marine Corps. He lettered three seasons in his prep career at Punahou HS in Honoulu for head coach Kale Ale. A three-star prospect, he amassed 1,840 all-purpose yards and scored 19 touchdowns as a senior. He rushed for 599 yards and 10 touchdowns while tallying 63 receptions for 725 yards and eight touchdown catches. He was named team captain, offensive player of the year and first-team all-state as a junior and senior while earning second team honors as a sophomore.

Hilliard graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2013. He later added a masters of education in higher education/higher education administration in from UCLA in 2018. He is married to Katrina Hilliard.