Hall travels across town to play ball for TnSU
By MIKE ORGAN
Staff Writer
In one breath Marquez Hall admits he wasn't ready to play football on the college level last season at Vanderbilt.
In the next breath the talented cornerback says he's more eager than ever to get on the field this season at Tennessee State.
After redshirting at Vanderbilt, the Shorter, Ala., native decided in early summer not to return to the Commodores. He wanted to go to a school where he would be eligible to play right away and that meant finding the right fit at an NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision ? formerly Division I-A) program.
He considered Georgia Southern, Jacksonville State, Appalachian State and Jackson State before settling on TSU.
"At first I wanted to play last season while I was at Vanderbilt, but I found out I really wasn't ready," Hall said. "Now, I thank them for redshirting me because I still have four years to play."
And play he will. Hall quickly moved to the starting cornerback position opposite of preseason All-American Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The Tigers lost Aaron Strong to graduation so Hall will start in the season opener Saturday at LP Field against Alabama A&M.
No avoiding Rodgers-Cromartie
The arrival of Hall got TSU's defense out of a bind. There was no clear starter identified after spring practice.
"We're fortunate to get Marquez," said defensive coordinator Ron Lambert. "I don't know how he dropped in our lap. But anytime (Vanderbilt) drops good players like that, I'll take them."
Hall won't say exactly why he left Vandy other than being buried on the depth chart by upperclassmen.
"I transferred for some other reasons, too, and I'm just happy to be here at Tennessee State," Hall said. "I was pretty happy at Vanderbilt, but things happen."
Hall plans to make things happen.
"He's allowed us to have some flexibility in the secondary," Lambert said. "He's allowing us to do some things with Dominique that we probably wouldn't have been able to do. As good as Dominique is sometimes, people have a tendency to want to go away from him. Now we've got a guy on the other side, that if you try to go away from Dominique, I call a ball hawk."
Lambert calls Hall a ball hawk because he already has caused a turnover in every full-speed drill in practice and recorded seven interceptions.
Fast track
Hall was a track star in high school and has shown off his speed throughout camp.
"My speed is my biggest asset, but I like to tackle, too," Hall said. "I'm a physical corner also."
TSU Coach James Webster is happy Hall didn't have the patience to wait for his turn to play at Vanderbilt.
"On the Division I level it's not a matter of how good you are, it's a matter of when you get an opportunity to play," Webster said.
"There are so many good players ? everybody's good. In a lot of cases you have to wait your turn and life goes by fast. A lot of these premier athletes don't want to sit on the bench for two and three years just to play one year. I am just so thrilled to have Marquez ? he's been a great surprise for us."
