Hall playing big role in Bearkats’ perfect run
Junior defensive end develops into NFL prospect with 21 tackles for loss, 11 sacks
HUNTSVILLE — Sam Houston State coach K.C. Keeler enjoys watching junior defensive end P.J. Hall play football with any temperament. But an aggravated Hall last year in a playoff loss at Jacksonville State was especially eye-opening for Keeler.
“Jacksonville’s running back was one of the fastest players in the country,” Keeler said. “We weren’t playing well and were getting beat, and he breaks one down the sideline. You could see P.J.’s frustration, and P.J. runs him down from behind, 30-40 yards downfield.”
Hall is in a better mood these days, and for good reason. Sam Houston State has won all 11 of its games this season heading to Saturday’s 2 p.m. NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff game against Chattanooga (9-3) at Bowers Stadium. The fifth-seeded Bearkats earned a bye last weekend, while the 11thseeded Moccasins defeated Weber State to advance in the 24-team field.
“We’ve been so close these past couple of seasons,” Hall said of Sam Houston State advancing to the national semifinals in each of the past two years. “We don’t want to get held back again, and we’ve been working hard to accomplish our goal.”
Hall has played a big role in Sam Houston State’s run this season, as his 21 tackles for loss are tied for fifth nationally in FCS play, with 11 of thoses acks. Hall (6-1,270) was lightly recruited out of Seguin High School, but he hasdeveloped into an NFL prospect.
“P.J. is just one of those guys who’s naturally a freak,” said Sam Houston State quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe, who faces Hall in practice. “When we test in the summer, his 40-yard dash and vertical and broad jump are right up there with our skill guys. His explosiveness and the things he’s able to do are unbelievable. It’s great for our offensive tackles to see every day in practice, because they’re not going to see a better defensive end in the country this season.”
Finding a position
When Hall first arrived at Sam Houston State under a different staff, coaches weren’t quite sure whether to play him at tight end or defensive end. They settled on the latter during his redshirt season, and for that Keeler is thankful.
“He would have been just fine at tight end, but defensive end is his natural position,” Keeler said. “When we got here he was this redshirt freshman that we didn’t know a whole lot about, but it didn’t take us long to figure out he could be really special. We’re talking about a guy with a 40inch vertical, a 700-pound squat and a 400-pound bench, and maybe as quick a first step as I’ve ever seen.”
Hall, the Southland Conference’s defensive player of the year, this week was named one of three finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in FCS. No Sam Houston State player has been a Buchanan finalist.
‘It’s all worked out fine’
While Hall wasn’t recruited by the state’s larger universities, he had decided long ago he wanted to be a homicide detective, so Sam Houston State’s renowned criminal justice program fit him to a T.
“Growing up, I always watched the ‘First 48,’ that was one of my favorite television shows,” Hall said of the popular A&E series. “I love what homicide detectives do, the adrenalin that comes with that job.”
“I knew Sam Houston had a great criminal justice program before I even thought about coming here, so it’s all worked out fine.”
Hall admits there’s plenty of adrenalin that comes with taking down an unsuspecting QB as well, and he said he’ll try and keep that up as long as possible, at this level and perhaps the next.
“You’ve got to study film and know what they’re going to do,” Hall said of the art of collecting a tackle for loss. “You don’t get too many opportunities for a sack in a game. Once you get that chance, you’ve got to make the most of it.”