Hinder off to top national combine
Steamboat Springs High School quarterback to attend elite football camp

Courtesy Photo
Steamboat Springs — Austin Hinder has been to so many camps and has run so many drills that going to one of the top combines in the nation doesn’t raise his blood pressure.
But Hinder, a junior quarterback at Steamboat Springs High School who racked up more than 2,000 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns last season, admits the U.S. Army National Combine might be the biggest and most important elite camp he’s attended.
The combine, which invites the nation’s top 400 to 500 juniors, begins Friday in San Antonio. It’s followed on Saturday by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game that features the top high school seniors in the nation.
For perspective, notable alumni of the combine include NFL players Ted Ginn Jr., Donte Whitner and college standouts Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy and Matt Stafford.
“No way I’ll be nervous,” said Hinder, who has been training the past week in St. Louis. “I don’t get nervous that much anymore. I’ve been to so many football camps, it’s just another camp that has a lot more talent at it.”
The combine will include 1-on-1 drills, 7-on-7 games and athletic tests such as shuttle runs and 40-yard dashes.
Hinder currently holds scholarship offers from the University of California, University of Stanford, University of Nebraska and Kansas State University. When he returns from San Antonio, Hinder said he is likely to visit the University of Colorado and get a written offer from Buffs coach Dan Hawkins.
“It’s really fun,” Hinder said about all the attention. “I have got to live up to it. We need to win a state championship next year, hopefully.”
In addition to the combine, Hinder said he has been told he will be named the top college prospect in Colorado for the Class of 2010 by http://www.scout.com and recruiting guru Tom Lemming. Hinder already made the http://www.rivals.com list of top 250 juniors.
Hinder has played basketball during the winter, and he also has been training for the combine.
He said the toughest thing about the combine is getting timing down with all of the wide receivers.
“I’m just going to go in and do what I do,” Hinder said. “The first combine, I tried to do everything perfect and at a 100 mph. It was a great lesson in that if you do that, you’re not going to do well. I’m going to be calm and have fun. That’s how you do your best. I’m going to go in and do what I do for a long time.”
Although Hinder wouldn’t list his favorites as far as colleges go, he said he is almost positive he’ll take official visits to California, Stanford and Colorado.
He said he hopes to decide on a college before his senior season begins.

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