Andre Hall happy to be home

[Guest HowieP1]

Happy to be home

St. Petersburg native Andre Hall, playing for his third college team, is thriving at USF.

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Published October 1, 2004

Carol Barthel paused to think for a moment after her son asked a question on the phone last week: "C-Lo, baby, how many touchdowns do you want me to score for you on Saturday?"

"Two," Barthel said. "But if you want to score more, that's your wish."

Andre Hall has always listened to his mother, and the USF junior scored those two touchdowns in regulation during the Bulls' game at Texas Christian. He added two more in overtime to match a school record, leading USF to a 45-44 victory, and said he wanted to do something special on his father's 83rd birthday.

Captain Hall is used to explaining that Captain is his given name and not a rank. He served in World War II as an Army engineer, but his name goes further back. A century ago, his grandfather captained a boat that hauled steel from Pensacola to Tampa and named his son Captain, a tribute that is in its third generation with one of Andre's brothers.

Andre is the third-youngest of nine children, all raised in a small house in south St. Petersburg. Barthel was an only child who never wanted her children to lack for company and friendship, so she speaks with Andre nearly every day. She and Captain are both battling diabetes. Glaucoma has left him partially blind and unable to watch his son's games. It hasn't stopped him from quickly becoming a USF fan.

"I listen, I hear them call his name, and I know exactly what's happening when everyone gets to hollering," said Captain, who worked 46 years as a driver and supervisor for Atlantic Ice Co. in St. Petersburg.

Hall's respect for his father can be seen every time he takes a handoff. He has "Captain" tattooed in script on his right hand, and like a hockey player with a C on his jersey, it's as if he were destined for a leadership role.

"I think he is an awfully good leader," coach Jim Leavitt said. "He has so much enthusiasm, he loves the game, he's a good football player. We knew we were going to get to Andre eventually and we knew we were going to kind of feature him this past game. We did and I was really proud of him."

Hall, 5-10, 205 pounds, rushed 28 times for 119 yards, caught four passes for 65 yards and returned two kickoffs for 44 more. After three games, he ranks 11th in the nation in all-purpose yardage, 163.3 yards per game.

Barthel will be in the south end zone with four of her children Saturday when the Bulls play host to Southern Miss. Her son has made her a celebrity of sorts. At the grocery store, at church, at the VA hospital, everyone is congratulating her.

"Everywhere I go, somebody knows me, especially since Saturday," she said. "Everybody knows each other here, but now there's so much recognition it's a crying shame."

Barthel remembers when her sons would play football just a long pass down Dayton Street in the yard behind New Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church. The only thing that would make them stop was dinner. Barthel realized how much USF football meant to her son two weeks ago when he came home after the Bulls' 34-3 loss at South Carolina.

She made his favorite meal - pork chops, collard greens and corn bread - but Hall couldn't bring himself to eat, too upset about the way he and his teammates had played. Barthel told her son not to hang his head, that there was another game the next weekend, that he had gotten past far bigger obstacles.

"When I think about my brother, I think about perseverance," said Johnny Barthel, Hall's oldest brother, who lives in Jacksonville. "When he was little, he was smaller than the other kids and had to make up for it by working harder. He knows the three D's - discipline, dedicated and determined - and has a tremendous work ethic. I'm proud to be his brother."

Academic problems limited Hall to one season at Dixie Hollins, but he shined as a senior, rushing for 1,742 yards and 26 touchdowns and earning a spot on the Times' All-Suncoast team. He was headed to Clemson but didn't have the necessary test scores, starting a long winding path that brought him back close to home.

Hall attended Georgia Military College in 2002, rushing for more than 1,600 yards as a freshman. Jeff Tatum, GMC's offensive coordinator, recalls his first carry in his first practice, an off-tackle run in which his hole collapsed around him and still he popped through "like a surfer riding in the curl of a wave" for a 65-yard run.

What Tatum remembers most is Hall's work ethic, the way he'd line up at scout-team cornerback when he'd get a break from repetitions at running back. The harsh discipline of the college's tactical officers didn't suit him, however, and Tatum recommended him to a school where he once coached, Garden City Community College in Kansas. Hall "cried like a baby" in Tatum's office on his last day, thanking the coach for the opportunity he'd given him.

"What he's doing now, we knew all along he was that much of an all-around football player," Tatum said. "You're so proud of a guy who makes the most of an opportunity as he has. He comes to practice every day with such determination, and what you see on Saturday is what you get the other six days of the week."

Hall rushed for 1,488 yards at Garden City and was recruited by Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Texas A&M. Leavitt had many things working in his favor - he was a Dixie Hollins graduate himself, and playing at USF would keep Hall close to his family. What won Hall over, however, was the way Leavitt never lost track of him as he changed schools, and the fact that Leavitt reminded him of Tatum, as a coach he felt he could instantly trust.

Hall also talked to Bulls who were former Dixie Hollins stars, such as Marquel Blackwell and DeAndrew Rubin.

"They let me know that Leavitt is a trustworthy guy. Whatever he says, you can take it to the bank," Hall said. "I believed those guys, and he's been just what they said. He'll look you in the eye and tell you the truth."

Hall said he realized USF was right for him in the middle of his final campus visit, Texas A&M. Leavitt was crossing the Sunshine Skyway bridge when Hall called, and the coach swerved in his lane, having landed the gem of a strong recruiting class.

"We recruited our tail off for him," said Leavitt, who rarely recruits from junior colleges. "He went to my high school, and we stayed with him. We have a lot of faith in him, but we've had a lot of success with players from Dixie Hollins. Tchecoy Blount, Glenn Davis, DeAndrew Rubin, Marquel Blackwell. All four got their degrees."

Hall, 22, is working to join them as USF graduates, with a degree potentially in psychology or criminal justice. His promising start on the field has lifted the hopes of Bulls fans and given his neighbors a new reason to gather around their TVs on Saturday. On Wednesday, he called his mother, and the question came up again: How many touchdowns should Hall score this week?

"I don't know," his mother told him. "I'll have to pray on that for a few days."

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/01/Sports/Happy_to_be_home.shtml

[JoNaLaN]

great post howie.. nice to know how much Hall is a hard worker. also glad we have him on our side. thanks again howie.

P.S lets kick @$$ hall against USM

[dabull80]

Have we found our team leader here ?  Sounds like he may be the guy.

[ChiTownBull]

glad to see the loss upset him so much....

She made his favorite meal - pork chops, collard greens and corn bread - but Hall couldn't bring himself to eat, too upset about the way he and his teammates had played. Barthel told her son not to hang his head, that there was another game the next weekend, that he had gotten past far bigger obstacles.

[BullDoug]

Andre ain't no lineman. that's for sure.  A lineman wooda scarfed that kinda grub between the tears over the loss.    I hope his Momma continues to pray for his success.  I might even help her out a bit too.  Great story.  Good to see a kid succeed in life.  Get that degree Andre.  Gotta keep the DHHS rebel legacy going.

[BullWriter]

FWIW, collard greens are disgusting.   ;D

Now pork chops and corn bread... mm mm MMMM!

[Velcro]

FWIW, collard greens are disgusting.   ;D

Now pork chops and corn bread... mm mm MMMM!

They are better than Mustard greens  :-X

[Ricky the Bull]

The best collard greens used to be at Buddy Freddy's (before they changed hands).  A plate of those with pepper sauce and I'm in heaven....  

[namuh-bull]

nice article.  I like the part about trusting CJL's word, and especially the quote

" ...but we've had a lot of success with players from Dixie Hollins. Tchecoy Blount, Glenn Davis, DeAndrew Rubin, Marquel Blackwell. All four got their degrees."

[bulls96go]

he may be the man