Quebec quarterbacks in the NCAA are a rare commodity. Now that Jérémy Saint-Hilaire has made his commitment to the Vanderbilt University Commodores official, he hopes to help break down barriers.
If his name isn't well known to football fans in Quebec, it's because St-Hilaire spent the last two seasons in Tennessee, where he honed his craft at McCallie Preparatory High School.
The former Charles-Lemoyne College Dynamics graduate dominated Tennessee's recent state championship by being named the game's most valuable player with four touchdown passes and 309 yards.
Standing at 6'3″ and weighing 220 pounds, he impresses both physically and with talent, and now wants to become a role model at a Division 1 program in the powerful SEC Conference.
“It's definitely a higher level, but I'm still doing what I've done since I was little. This is the goal I've wanted to achieve since I was eight or nine years old. It won't be easy, but I'm looking forward to the challenge and playing against the best. The goal is to break down the barriers and create something new for the quarterbacks here,” he said in an interview.
In education
St-Hilaire, who grew up in Saint-Bruno, has no illusions. At the moment he sees himself slowly climbing the ladder in the role of an apprentice.
“I don’t think I would be offered a free education if I didn’t play football. The coaches really believe in me and see me as the future of their team, but this year my goal is simply to learn and improve. In my second year I want to play and in my third year I want to be the starter from day one,” explained the young 18-year-old Pivot, who will go to the Nashville campus in June.
difficulties
It's no secret that the Vanderbilt football program is having some issues right now. The team hasn't had a winning season since 2013, but St-Hilaire believes the tide is turning.
“The coaches are passionate. They have been there for three years and have not managed to change the program in a short time, but I believe in what they are doing. The university is investing a little more in the program. I want to help make a difference.
“It wasn't a criteria for me to stay at Tennessee, but this is the program where I felt most comfortable. That’s where the coaches showed me the most love and I immediately felt ready to play,” he said.
A beautiful friendship
Before heading to Tennessee, St-Hilaire began his journey by narrowly selecting Maxence LeBlanc, who just formalized his association with Ohio State University.
The two became good friends and as fate would have it, they would compete against each other in the Tennessee state championship, which the St Hilaire squad narrowly won 34-28
“It was a big game, a very special moment. We met in third secondary school at Charles-Lemoyne. We scored a lot of touchdowns together and he became one of my best friends. “The two of us traveled to Tennessee with two rival teams and faced each other a few times, but we kept seeing each other,” he said.