RB Jordan Hall (Official Thread)

[BB73]

Jordan has been named a captain for the Sparty game this week.

Dispatch

Ohio State football: Hall named a captain for Michigan State game

...
Hall is appreciative of the captaincy.

?It?s definitely an honor,? he said. ?It will be one of my greatest memories at Ohio State.?

Cont'd ...

 

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State football: Jordan Hall's way is forward
Published: Wednesday, September 28, 2011
By John Kampf
[email protected]

COLUMBUS ? A month ago, Jordan Hall was at one of the lowest points of his life, sitting in his apartment watching his Ohio State teammates play.

This week, the junior running back is soaring among the clouds.

Two weeks removed from serving a two-game suspension for receiving improper benefits during the offseason, Hall has been named one of the captains for Saturday's game at Ohio Stadium against visiting Michigan State.

One of the best playmakers on the Ohio State roster, Hall gets to represent his team as a captain.

It's an honor he is taking seriously.

"It will be one of my greatest memories at Ohio State," the soft-spoken product of Jeaneatte, Pa., said.

At least better than the memories the first two weeks of September, when Hall was spending his Saturday afternoons staring at a television while the Buckeyes were playing Akron and Toledo.

Hall, along with Travis Howard and roommate Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown, were suspended two games each for accepting $200 apiece for appearing at a charity function in Cleveland.

Hall said he doesn't remember what, if anything, he ate on those Saturdays.

He is pretty sure he didn't break anything or tackle any furniture out of frustration.

All he knows is he learned a valuable lesson while sitting out those two games.

"It let me know you can't take anything for granted," Hall said. "It can be taken away from you as fast as you got it."

Some might scoff at a recently suspended player being named a captain so quickly. Captains generally are chosen for their leadership skills, both verbally and by their actions, and critics could argue Hall receiving improper benefits and thus being suspended circumvent captaincy criteria.

Coach Luke Fickell said he had no issues with naming Hall a captain, citing Hall's actions both during and after the suspension.

Hall's nomination also opens the door for current suspended Buckeyes Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas to be named game captains at some point this season. Fickell and the OSU staff has repeatedly praised the leadership and work ethic of the group of four, which is serving a five-game suspension.

"He's a leader in our locker room," Fickell said of Hall. "He's handled everything we've asked him to handle with class and dignity. He has not batted an eye at it with all the situations.

"We learn from our mistakes, but we're not going to throw guys away."

Hall swallowed a measure of pride during his suspension and played scout-team offense, emulating the running backs of Akron and Toledo.

Since he has returned, he has made a big contribution to the Buckeyes. Not only has he led the team in rushing the past two games, with 171 yards, but he is also averaging 67.5 yards on two kick returns and 14.7 yards on three punt returns.

He had 231 all-purpose yards last week against Colorado.

"Just trying to find a crease," Hall said of his penchant for returns. "If you find a crease, you'll be all right."

Fickell has so much confidence in Hall's abilities he suspects the 5-foot-9, 195-pounder would and could make an able defensive player if the situation warranted.

Hall did play some defense at Jeannette High in western Pennsylvania, but said he likes to score too much to be a defender.

Just opening eyes was difficult enough. Being a high school teammate of former OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor meant scouts from across the nation were often in attendance, but that eyes were usually not on Hall.

Hall said he still talks to his former high school and college teammate, but not as much as before Pryor left Ohio State in the aftermath of a memorabilia-for-tattoos scandal that would have cost Pryor a five-game suspension had he stayed.

Hall said, "our compliance office did a good job of letting us know what we can and can't do," and that "it's basically just knowing the rules."

After breaking one by accepting improper benefits, serving his punishment and then returning, Hall is looking forward to proving his coach right about entrusting him with captaincy this weekend.

"It feels good," he said of hearing Fickell's support. "If he makes that kind of comment about a player, you obviously feel good about yourself."

cont...

http://news-herald.com/articles/2011/09/28/sports/nh4560028.txt?viewmode=fullstory#photo1

 

[Buckskin86]

Jeannette's Hall exceeding expectations at Ohio State
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Written by Mike White

Go ahead and try to come up with running backs from the WPIAL over the past 20 years who have started at halfback at the Division I-A level. You'll have trouble coming up with many. The WPIAL just doesn't produce many Division I halfbacks.

But there is one who is starting to make an impact on the big-time level this season.

Jeannette graduate Jordan Hall is doing very well at Ohio State. He is not just seeing playing time. He is Ohio State's featured back.

After serving a suspension for a few games at the start of the season, Hall has played two games for the Buckeyes and done a little of everything. He has rushed for 175 yards on 32 carries (5.3 average). He has caught one pass. He has returned two kickoffs for a 67.5 average, including a 90-yarder. He has returned three punts for a 14.7 average.

Hall is a junior who most certainly has exceeded the expectations of many. When Ohio State offered Hall during his junior year, some thought it was merely an attempt by the Buckeyes to help in recruiting Terrelle Pryor. Even when Hall committed to Ohio State, Jeannette coach Ray Reitz said the Buckeyes plan to eventually use Hall for "maybe 20 plays a game."

I wondered why Hall would go to a school that thought his ceiling would be "20 plays" a game. I also wondered if Hall was big enough to make it at Ohio State's level. Well, Hall has raised his personal bar. It's nice to see from a kid who some thought was too small to make it at the big-time level. He is listed at 5 feet 9, 195 pounds, but he has always been "put together." It is also good to see a running back from a smaller classification (Class AA) prove he can play on the major-college level.

Hall had an excellent career at Jeannette and was a good athlete. He was a two-year member of the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 and also was a standout basketball player. With the rest of this season and all of his senior year left at Ohio State, Hall might continue to open eyes.

http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com...tes-hall-exceeding-expectations-at-ohio-state

 

[Buckeneye]

I would love to see him involved in the passing options a bit more. Maybe its just me, but I notice the screen game isn't really part of our attack.

Seeing as how a mobile QB can monopolize the eyes of the defense - it'd be nice to get him the ball a couple times in such situations like that.

 

[bassbuckeye07]

He reminds me of Joe Montgomery

 

[utgrad73]

http://www.toledoblade.com/Ohio-State/2011/09/30/OSUs-Hall-shines-in-return.html

OSU's Hall shines in return

RB glad to be back on the field

BY MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
Facebook Twitter Reddit Digg E-mail Print Rss
Ohio State running back Jordan Hall (7) runs as Miami linebacker Ramon Buchanan (45) defends during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Miami, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011. ASSOCIATED PRESS Enlarge
COLUMBUS ? While his Ohio State teammates pounded Akron and barely slipped past Toledo in the first two games of the season, Jordan Hall was in a self-imposed, semi-solitary confinement watching them on TV.
For the first time in his Ohio State career, Hall could throw the remote, scream at the officials or question every play call in a Buckeyes' game.
He just couldn't put on the uniform, walk the sidelines, or play.
"I know just how bad it hurts to watch the game at home," said Hall, a junior running back who sat out the first two games of 2011 serving an NCAA-mandated suspension for accepting $200 from a booster at a
Cleveland area charity event in February. "I don't ever want to miss a game again."

"We understand we learn from our mistakes, and we're not going to throw guys away," Fickell said.

Jordan has his focus now, hope the rest learn from this as well.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

Jordan has been named a captain for the Sparty game this week.

Dispatch

I think this just tells me how special this kid is...to be named Captain as a junior and coming off a suspension. I'd say he must literally be doing EVERYTHING right now.

I hope Jordan has a HUGE game today so the whole nation can see what we all do!

 

[ant80]

I think this just tells me how special this kid is...to be named Captain as a junior and coming off a suspension. I'd say he must literally be doing EVERYTHING right now.

I hope Jordan has a HUGE game today so the whole nation can see what we all do!

 

[HeightsBuck]

I would love to see him involved in the passing options a bit more. Maybe its just me, but I notice the screen game isn't really part of our attack.

Seeing as how a mobile QB can monopolize the eyes of the defense - it'd be nice to get him the ball a couple times in such situations like that.

I agree, i remember it being in the discussion preseason, but get this kid in screens and quick slants, get him out in one on one space and let him make moves.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

I agree, i remember it being in the discussion preseason, but get this kid in screens and quick slants, get him out in one on one space and let him make moves.

With Herron coming back and Hyde playing very well, I think there's a better chance of seeing this against Illinois.

Doesn't have to be anything special, I'd be most excited to see Hall used on earlier short roll out throws to get Miller into a rhythm (similar to Boren last week) and then maybe a screen later on. Could be a big help.

 

[Poe McKnoe]

With Herron coming back and Hyde playing very well, I think there's a better chance of seeing this against Illinois.

Doesn't have to be anything special, I'd be most excited to see Hall used on earlier short roll out throws to get Miller into a rhythm (similar to Boren last week) and then maybe a screen later on. Could be a big help.

What's all this fancy stuff you talkin' about?

 

[Taosman]

Are we still "saving" JH in the slot for scUM? :tongue2:

 

[Rookie]

Unfortunately there was a fumble that led to a score for Wiscy, but Jordan Hall didn't let up and that return at the end was amazing!

I saw him carried off, I hope he's okay.

Glad to have him on our team!

 

[jlb1705]

Tonight was uncharacteristic for him receiving punts. He's normally rock solid.

 

[Taosman]

He made a huge play when it was needed. That's all one needs to say about him!