WASHINGTON (July 25, 2024) - Amid the clanking weights and the sweat dripping down Terrance Hollon's determined face, he knows every repetition has a purpose. He must give more. No, it is demanded.
Despite earning All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) recognition and helping the Howard University football team secure a spot in the Celebration Bowl after winning the regular season championship, Hollon (Cleveland) is not one to rest on his laurels. He is driven to change last year's bitter ending, where Howard lost, 30-26, to Florida A&M in Atlanta.
Moreover, he knows a pair of special eyes is watching his every move.
"I want to be the best version of myself every time I touch the field," Hollon said during a recent phone interview. "Ever since I got to college, my mentality has been to win the rep and dominate what is in front of you. Despite all of the accolades I have received so far, I continue to push myself to be the best while also helping the people around me grow. My motivation for this year is to get the job done and win the Celebration Bowl."
No matter how the 2024 Howard football season unfolds, Hollon knows one person who is already proud of him: his late grandmother, Rosalind, who passed away from heart failure in 2020. Her memory provides him with extra motivation to perform at his best.
Reflecting on the loss of his grandmother, Hollon shares a poignant moment.
"I was with one of my uncles at the time and when we got home, she was unconscious," he recalls. "It did not feel real and I was in shock. I could not believe it happened. We all knew she was sick and everybody was visiting in the final days. She was strong. Everybody in my family could be there, so it was good to have that comfort with my family. She was a big part of my life. I did not think that day would ever come, to be honest."
Her memory continues to fuel his determination on and off the field.
The lessons taught by his grandmother, now reinforced by his mother, Rive, have guided Hollon and helped the health science major stay on the right path. Family and faith are Hollon's foundation.
"My mom always told me that my grandmother would be so proud that you would be going to Howard," Hollon said. "My mom always told me to keep my grades up and do my thing on the football field. My mom made sure I had my head on straight and stayed in the books. My grandmother would talk to me a lot, and I always remember her telling me, 'God is not going to put more on you than you can handle and everything will work itself out.'" 
In his Cleveland neighborhood, Hollon witnessed several talented athletes swallowed up by the unrelenting world of street violence or ended up on the wrong side of the law. Hollon's mom was determined that her son would not become another statistic. Now, Hollon has a goal of going into physical therapy after college football, attending to graduate school and opening his own facility to rehab athletes and train them to play football.
This is where football came into Hollon's life, thanks to his uncle, Jerome, who introduced the sport to his nephew when he was six. Since Hollon was usually taller than kids his age, he played up a level until he was nine.
"I remember one time when I was younger, they put me on the line and I was tackling the linemen instead of the ballcarriers," Hollon said. "I was just tackling people."
Howard was persistent in recruiting Hollon and he ultimately chose The Mecca because he trusted head coach Larry Scott's vision for the program's success. Before Hollon's arrival, Howard had not enjoyed consistent success. That has changed. Hollon has been happy to be one of the many reasons why the Bison are the class of the MEAC.
Hollon has emerged as one of the best linebackers in college football by transforming the gridiron into a torture chamber. With an unrelenting determination to dominate, the terrifying and terrific Hollon has an excellent combination of speed, strength, instincts and technique that enables him to beat blockers and blast ball carriers.
Playing with a mixture of finesse and fury, Hollon had a team-leading 67 tackles (45 solos), including 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2023. In the homecoming victory over Norfolk State, he made a season-high 13 tackles (nine solos).
Hollon earned 2022 Phil Steele FCS All-MEAC Third Team honors after finishing with 57 tackles (29 solos), including three for losses. He had a season-best 14 tackles against North Carolina Central. He had a sack against Morgan State and a half-sack against Norfolk State.
"Playing in the Celebration Bowl last year was an experience I will not forget," Hollon said. "It was a great atmosphere. The events and the connections I made leading up to the game were great. I wish we had a better outcome. It hurts losing any game, so this year, we want to get back there and win it."
Hollon, who loves eating pizza and watching two-time NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson play, is already winning in the classroom.
In earning a prestigious position on the 26th annual Academic All-Star Team, Hollon was among 52 student-athletes acknowledged by the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) last December. In addition to being selected to the 2023 MEAC Football All-Academic Team, Hollon has a 3.87 grade point average. He was one of six Howard University student-athletes to earn an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award for his academic success and extracurricular activities during the 2023-24 campaign.
These honors are a testament to Hollon's dedication and discipline.
"Not many people from my family can say they went to Howard University," Hollon said. "The name speaks for itself. Now, that degree is the main thing. I know that football can end one day, but when it does, I will have my degree to fall back on. The most feared person is a Black person with a degree. There is so much I can say about my mom. She is the best mom I can ever ask for and she did everything to ensure we were on the right path. I could not ask for a better life than she gave me."
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional. A member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Hall of Fame, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA).
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.
