It’s noticeable by the expression on Chad Hall’s face that he doesn’t like to admit teammate Kip McCarthy has taken over the title of best dancer on Air Force’s football team.
It’s obvious by the set in his jaw and gleam in his eyes Hall believes he can regain the title.
“I don’t know about the title, but he’s one up on me right now,” Hall said of the competition. “He put on a show in front of the whole team before our game with Navy. He doesn’t have the best rhythm, but somehow he gets it done.”
Hall gets it done on the football field. His stubborn stance on keeping even dancing titles is a hint to his competitiveness. At 5-feet-8 and 180 pounds, a player has to be competitive to participate in a game filled with a lot of players up to a foot taller and 120 pounds heavier.
“Everything he does, he’s going to be the best at it,” said Marc Khedouri, one of Hall’s football coaches at Wesleyan High School in Atlanta. “He was our best player on offense at quarterback and our best player on defense at safety. He couldn’t be intimidated in football, basketball or baseball.”
Hall made the most of his high school days, even singing in the choir and competing for solos.
“I had some solo action time in choir,” Hall said. “I was involved in school a lot. I’d do my homework, but I never sat around much. I’ve lost my voice, but I still can dance.”
He would like to be involved more at Air Force, but a lot of his time – especially in the fall – is devoted to football. This week, the focus is on Colorado State, which plays Thursday night at Falcon Stadium. Last year, Hall had his first career 100-yard game against CSU, going for 107 yards on 11 carries.
He had his second 100-yard game this season at Wyoming, gaining 122 yards on 20 carries. After four games, Hall leads the Falcons in rushing, averaging 79.3 yards a game. His four touchdowns are tied with quarterback Shaun Carney for most on the 2-2 team.
AFA coach Fisher DeBerry says he would like to have half of Hall’s energy.
“When I see him run, I think of the Energizer Bunny,” DeBerry said. “That’s the first thing that pops into my mind. He’s really wound tight. He has improved as player as much as anyone else on our team.
“He looked like a high school quarterback last year. He looks like a college running back this year. He’s done it through hard work.”
Going into this season, the Air Force halfback positions were an area of concern. Hall’s 344 yards last season were the most among the halfbacks, but there also had been turnovers that plague Air Force’s chances for victory. In the next to last game of Air Force’s 4-7 season, Hall’s fumble ended the Falcons’ comeback bid in a 27-24 loss to Army.
“I still remember that play,” said Hall, a junior. “That’s in the past. None of us has given up the ball this year.”
Jemal Singleton, a former Air Force player who became the halfbacks coach this year, says his group still has work to do but sees improvement.
“I think our halfbacks are doing some good things, with the ball in their hands, blocking and as receivers,” Singleton said. “Chad stands out in the numbers game, but he’s sharing his enthusiasm, attitude and work ethic with everyone else. We have some characters at the halfback positions. I don’t mind that.”
Hall has spent his life showing others he can play with the big guys.
“I’d love to be 6-foot-2,” Hall said. “That would help with football and the ladies. I don’t know what position I’d be playing, but I’d be playing football. I’ve always felt I’ve had to show people my whole life. I’d hear that I was way too small to play football, but that just fired me up.”
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
