A redefining journey, Hollin Pierce has been shaped and changed on and off the field at Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The story of Hollin Pierce’s physical transformation from high school to the Big Ten is the stuff of legends around Rutgers football. But not as well known is how Pierce changed himself in the classroom and has embraced what it truly means to be a student-athlete.
Pierce is projected to be one of the starting offensive tackles for Rutgers this season. While the offensive line has struggled over the past three years, Pierce has steadily and doggedly improved and grown.
This offseason, he was named to the watchlist for the Shrine Bowl. Plus, he was a Preseason All-Big Ten selection (Athlon Sports). It has been quite a journey for this native son of New Jersey.
Pierce has gone from a Preferred Walk On (PWO) who was the very definition of being a project to now having a chance this season to make a real impact for Rutgers. But while his gains in the weight room and notorious losses on the scale are both impressive, what Piece has done in the classroom is perhaps even more impressive.
Pierce didn’t really care much for hitting the books coming out of Trenton Central High School. He changed his habits in the weight room, leading to him developing into one of the Big Ten’s top tackles.
And he began hitting the books – hard.
For the past two seasons, Piere has been an Academic All-Big Ten selection.
“Being a young kid, you know, going into transitioning high school. I don’t think anybody really loves high school,” Pierce said.
“But as you mature, as you realize the importance of it, then you realize how what you have to do and how you have to buckle down in the classroom.”
It has been a maturation process for Pierce, who admits he had some growing up to do when he arrived at Rutgers. His weight loss seems to have coincided with a serious attitude in the classroom.
For Pierce, the duality of being a student-athlete is now an important part of who he is at Rutgers. He is focused on football, intensely so. But he is finding a real direction in his studies.
Pierce is a sociology major.
“Being a young kid, you know, going into transitioning high school. I don’t think anybody really loves high school. But as you mature, as you realize the importance of it, then you realize how what you have to do and how you have to buckle down in the classroom,” Pierce said.
“I mean one thing you know (that the) coaches always emphasize to us is grades. Football is obviously a priority but grades always come first and I realized coming from a prep school and stuff. – college is going to be challenging. But you know, you got to put the time in in the classroom just like you do on the field.”
Since arriving on campus at Rutgers in 2020, Pierce is down over 130 pounds from his weight coming out of high school. It is a staggering change of physique and body that was born from not just discipline and effort on his part but also the mentorship of head coach Jay Butler, the head of strength and conditioning for the football program
When Pierce arrived from Fork Union Military Academy, a prep school in Virginia, there was no denying that he was huge. But his body needed drastic reshaping if the walk on was ever going to see the field at Rutgers.
“I feel completely different. I mean, my first walking in the doors at Fork Union I was 455 pounds. When I left Fork Union, I was about 421 [pounds]. [I] Lost weight, worked out and when I finally got the call to come here, I was about 390,” Pierce said.
“They got me down to like 320 so you can see from there that’s a huge change.
“Diet was a big part. I mean, when I was huge all I was doing was eating.”
