Mitchell Blair
Alex Hall will be the first one to tell you the wins and losses are not ideal this year, but the Riders defensive end wouldn’t trade his situation in for anything.
“I’m doing what I want to do.” Hall proclaimed. “This is the one job where you can go in and cuss at somebody, raise some hell and talk trash all day without facing consequences. You can’t go to most jobs and start doing that. I’m not saying it is better than wearing a shirt and tie all day as that all depends on the pay grade, but I’m having a lot of fun.”
After a 2013 season that saw Hall come to Saskatchewan after a late-season trade with Winnipeg to bolster the defensive line for what was a successful Grey Cup run, Hall decided to take a chance south of the border as he signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers hoping a 15 sack season would allow him the opportunity to play for the NFL team. He spent the 2014 season on the Panthers practice roster, but when he decided it was time to continue his career in the CFL, he made a call to the Riders who were more than happy to acquire his services again.
“I feel good about this place and what is happening here with the people we have here.” Hall said after Wednesday’s practice. “There was a lot of crazy stuff happening over the last year, but I have no regrets in trying to do what I did and I don’t think it set me back any because I feel the same now as I did when I left.”
Hall says if there is one thing he wanted to do upon his return, it was to become a more complete player instead of being considered a one-dimensional guy.
“You don’t want to be known as just a guy who can sack the quarterback, you want to be known as a guy who can be disruptive in other ways like stuffing the run,” Hall said.” There is so much more you can do to be a complete player as a defensive lineman like getting tackles, forcing fumbles and pressuring the quarterback. The sacks are just a bonus.”
Defensive line coach Mike Sinclair has seen Hall work to be a complete player and the former NFL great has liked what he has seen this season from the 30 year old.
“What I first told Alex this year was we needed to broad his understanding of football because I wanted him to understand the game and not just be a pass-rusher.” Sinclair declared. “I told him in Winnipeg it was just a get up the field system, but here I want him to play the pass as well as he does the run and he has understood that tremendously. He knows now how teams are trying to play him and he is adapting well.”
Hall is more than happy to become that complete player, but he is also more than happy to be playing the game because many believed he would never get a chance to take his game to the next level after finishing his college career at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Many people said being from a small school, you will never be able to play in the NFL, but my father always said to keep my head up and do what I can. He knew about the CFL and told me I could play up here.” Hall said. “I don’t have any regrets at taking my NFL shot, but at the end of the day I am doing what I love. This is so much fun and while the overall performance this year hasn’t been a lot of fun, I am playing professional football and being with those guys in the locker-room is one of the best feelings you can have.”
With Hall working at one defensive end, and John Chick working at the other, it has given the Riders arguably the best 1-2 punch in the CFL with that hopefully showing Saturday night when the green-and-white have a home date against a 6-4 Ottawa team in a 7 o’clock start at Mosaic Stadium.
