Vic Hall
Encyclopedia
Vicqual Renee "Vic" Hall (born September 24, 1986) is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush
in the AFL
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
at Virginia
, where he played multiple positions for the Cavaliers
. He was the starting
quarterback
and also served as a kick returner
and holder
. In 2007
and 2008
, he played as a cornerback
.
to parents Rochelle Hall and Victor Calloway. Vic Hall attended Gretna High School where he played football
, baseball and basketball. He started for his team as a freshman in 2001 and recorded 14 touchdown passes and a combined 1,546 rushing and passing yards. As a sophomore, he recorded 2,184 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 1,045 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.
During his junior year, he set a Virginia state record by recording 4,434 total offensive yards, which included 2,769 passing and 1,665 rushing yards. He led his team, Gretna, which set a Virginia High School League
(VHSL) record in the 1990s for 43 straight losses, to a 14–0 record and the Group A state championship. Hall also had 31 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns for a total of 56 touchdowns, the second-highest in state history at that time. As a senior, he broke the state record he set when he recorded 4,852 offensive yards. That season, Hall recorded 165 completions on 259 attempts, 2,851 passing yards, 38 passing touchdowns, 174 carries, 1,982 rushing yards, and 26 rushing touchdowns. He again led his team to the state championship and a 14-0 record in his senior year. Hall was named a first-team all-state quarterback three times and a SuperPrep All-American.
. He graduated with a bachelor's degree
in anthropology
, and continued to pursue graduate studies while exhausting his college eligibility. He sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt. In 2006
, head coach Al Groh
moved Hall to cornerback
, a position that lacked depth and for which Hall was suited with his athleticism and size. Nevertheless, it was an unusual decision considering Hall's record-setting interscholastic career as a quarterback. That year, Hall saw action in all 12 games as a reserve cornerback and on special teams as an outside gunner
on punts. He recorded 13 tackles, including seven in punt coverage.
In 2007, Hall started in all 13 games as a cornerback and again played on special teams, including as a holder
and return specialist
. He led the team's cornerbacks in tackles. Hall recorded 58 tackles, three broken-up passes, and one interception. He compiled 230 yards on punt returns and 33 yards on kickoff returns. Against Pittsburgh
, he returned punts for 22 and 45 yards, each of which set up Virginia touchdowns on the subsequent possession. He also scored a touchdown on a fake field goal attempt. For his performance in that game, Hall was named the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) Specialist of the Week.
Hall was named the team captain for the 2008 season and started in 11 games as a cornerback and one as a quarterback, and also handled punt and kick return
and holding duties. Hall was the starting quarterback for the season's final game against Virginia Tech
. He recorded 59 tackles and two interceptions on defense. As a quarterback, he accumulated one pass attempt, 109 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. In 2009 head coach Al Groh hired Gregg Brandon as the offensive coordinator for the new spread offensive, which made Vic Hall the starting quarterback for the season. In the first game vs. William and Mary, Vic Hall was benched for Jameel Sewell who was the starting quarterback in 2007. After that, Al Groh moved Vic Hall back to cornerback, and then wide receiver where he was very successful. He was also the starting punt returner but was benched vs. William and Mary also. He recovered his starting return job vs. Boston College when he returned a 58-yard punt back for a touchdown, but it was called back for a penalty, and he kept the job for the rest of the season.
as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2010, with the intent to convert him to slot receiver. He was waived on July 21, 2010.
on August 2, 2010. On August 24, 2010, the Jets would waive Hall.
of the Arena Football League
for the 2011 season. He was named the AFL's Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4 and the Co-Defensive Player of the Week again in Week 12. On June 4, 2011 Hall had three interceptions against the Kansas City Command, returning one for a touchdown. With it, he tied and broke the Arena Football League record for interceptions in a single season. The record had been 13, and Hall made his 14th interception through 12 games.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
in the AFL
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, where he played multiple positions for the Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He was the starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and also served as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
and holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
. In 2007
2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team
The 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach is coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Preseason :...
and 2008
2008 Virginia Cavaliers Football Team
The 2008 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Virginia's 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Cavaliers were led by...
, he played as a cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
.
Early years
Hall was born on September 24, 1986 in Lynchburg, VirginiaLynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
to parents Rochelle Hall and Victor Calloway. Vic Hall attended Gretna High School where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball and basketball. He started for his team as a freshman in 2001 and recorded 14 touchdown passes and a combined 1,546 rushing and passing yards. As a sophomore, he recorded 2,184 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, 1,045 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.
During his junior year, he set a Virginia state record by recording 4,434 total offensive yards, which included 2,769 passing and 1,665 rushing yards. He led his team, Gretna, which set a Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
(VHSL) record in the 1990s for 43 straight losses, to a 14–0 record and the Group A state championship. Hall also had 31 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing touchdowns for a total of 56 touchdowns, the second-highest in state history at that time. As a senior, he broke the state record he set when he recorded 4,852 offensive yards. That season, Hall recorded 165 completions on 259 attempts, 2,851 passing yards, 38 passing touchdowns, 174 carries, 1,982 rushing yards, and 26 rushing touchdowns. He again led his team to the state championship and a 14-0 record in his senior year. Hall was named a first-team all-state quarterback three times and a SuperPrep All-American.
College career
Hall chose to attend the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. He graduated with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, and continued to pursue graduate studies while exhausting his college eligibility. He sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt. In 2006
2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
, head coach Al Groh
Al Groh
Al Groh is the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team. He is also a former head coach of the University of Virginia football team, a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team and the former head coach of the New York Jets of the NFL...
moved Hall to cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
, a position that lacked depth and for which Hall was suited with his athleticism and size. Nevertheless, it was an unusual decision considering Hall's record-setting interscholastic career as a quarterback. That year, Hall saw action in all 12 games as a reserve cornerback and on special teams as an outside gunner
Gunner (American football)
In American football, a gunner, also known as a shooter or kamikaze, is a player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the sideline very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner...
on punts. He recorded 13 tackles, including seven in punt coverage.
In 2007, Hall started in all 13 games as a cornerback and again played on special teams, including as a holder
Holder (American football)
In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...
and return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
. He led the team's cornerbacks in tackles. Hall recorded 58 tackles, three broken-up passes, and one interception. He compiled 230 yards on punt returns and 33 yards on kickoff returns. Against Pittsburgh
2007 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2007 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2007 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
, he returned punts for 22 and 45 yards, each of which set up Virginia touchdowns on the subsequent possession. He also scored a touchdown on a fake field goal attempt. For his performance in that game, Hall was named the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) Specialist of the Week.
Hall was named the team captain for the 2008 season and started in 11 games as a cornerback and one as a quarterback, and also handled punt and kick return
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
and holding duties. Hall was the starting quarterback for the season's final game against Virginia Tech
2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach is Frank Beamer. Prior to the season, the Hokies were expected to be in a rebuilding mode, recovering after the...
. He recorded 59 tackles and two interceptions on defense. As a quarterback, he accumulated one pass attempt, 109 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns. In 2009 head coach Al Groh hired Gregg Brandon as the offensive coordinator for the new spread offensive, which made Vic Hall the starting quarterback for the season. In the first game vs. William and Mary, Vic Hall was benched for Jameel Sewell who was the starting quarterback in 2007. After that, Al Groh moved Vic Hall back to cornerback, and then wide receiver where he was very successful. He was also the starting punt returner but was benched vs. William and Mary also. He recovered his starting return job vs. Boston College when he returned a 58-yard punt back for a touchdown, but it was called back for a penalty, and he kept the job for the rest of the season.
Chicago Bears
Hall was signed by the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2010, with the intent to convert him to slot receiver. He was waived on July 21, 2010.
New York Jets
Hall would be signed by the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 2, 2010. On August 24, 2010, the Jets would waive Hall.
Arena Football League
Hall signed with the Chicago RushChicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
for the 2011 season. He was named the AFL's Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4 and the Co-Defensive Player of the Week again in Week 12. On June 4, 2011 Hall had three interceptions against the Kansas City Command, returning one for a touchdown. With it, he tied and broke the Arena Football League record for interceptions in a single season. The record had been 13, and Hall made his 14th interception through 12 games.
External links
- Where's Vic Hall?, The Roanoke Times, September 25, 2008.
- Cavs shouldn't forget about Vic Hall, The Roanoke Times, September 7, 2006.