Alabama Football: Interview with Sparkman Speedy Star Defensive Back Kenny Hall
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
Kenny Hall had a solid junior season for Sparkman High School in Harvest as the speedy defensive back racked up 51 total tackles including for a loss, eight pass breakups, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and recorded one safety. After the season, Hall won an individual honor being named All-Region Honorable Mention as a cornerback.
The 5’10”, 180-pound, tackle machine has a tremendous eye for the ball and field vision. Hall also has good speed, footwork, and playmaking ability. This Class of 2022 recruit already has four college offers and is also drawing interest from Vanderbilt and Coastal Carolina.
Hall is not only a hard worker on the gridiron but also in the classroom where he has a 4.17 GPA and has scored a 24 on his ACT while being a part of the National Honor Society.
In an exclusive Recruiting News Guru interview, I sat down with Kenny to talk about his junior season and get an update on his recruiting process.
Interview
Kenny, what are your thoughts on your junior season overall?
Overall, I was happy with how I performed during my junior season. I ended the year without giving up a touchdown or a pass more than 30 yards.
How would you grade your individual performance in 2020?
I would give myself an A-minus. I feel as though I had a great season but I still have parts of my game I need to improve.
What are your strengths on the football field?
My biggest strength is my versatility. I give great run support and I can execute any coverage. I also played on every special team and I have a high football IQ.
Did you receive any individual honors?
Although I felt as though I was snubbed, I received Honorable Mention for All-Region.
What would you say was your best game and why?
My best game this year was against Gardendale. I ended the game with 10 tackles including one tackle for a loss.
What kind of challenges did you face during your junior season?
The challenges I faced during my junior season included adjusting my everyday lifestyle due to COVID-19, because both of my parents have a compromised immune system, adapting to remote learning, and also finding creative ways to workout due to COVID and gym closures.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I overcame the challenges of COVID during the season by social distancing and always wearing a mask at practice and by wearing a mask when I was outside my home to keep my family safe. We also transformed our living room into a gym to provide me a place to workout. As it relates to remote learning, I had to improve my ability to prioritize and enhance my time management skills.
What kind of defensive scheme does Sparkman run?
Sparkman runs a 3-4 defense and a variety of coverage schemes depending upon the opponent.
How do your skills fit into this scheme?
My skills complement my team’s defense well. Our coverages allow me to be able to drop back into my zone and then break downfield to rally to the ball when needed.
What is your fastest 40-yard dash time?
4.55.
Is there an NFL player that you try to model your game after?
Jalen Ramsey, in my opinion, is the best corner in the league right now because of his versatility. He can play man to man and he can play any zone scheme. I feel like he can fit into any NFL team’s defense.
How would you describe what kind of player you are?
I am an aggressive player that enjoys contact. I am also hardworking and I do whatever I need to do to help my team.
How would you describe what kind of teammate you are?
I’m a leader and try to lead by example. I frequently encourage my teammates to improve both academically and athletically. I also have a strong work ethic.
What do you like most about playing at Sparkman?
I enjoy the comradery in the locker room especially with the defensive unit and playing with players that I have grown up with dating back to peewee league.
What are your goals for the offseason?
My goals this offseason are to gain 10 pounds of muscle, improve my personal best on bench, squats, power clean, and deadlift, work with my defensive backs trainer Justin Woodall, and prepare for core combine testing.
Do you have any college offers?
I have four offers from Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Yale.
Are there any schools showing interest in you?
Coastal Carolina, Columbia, Penn, Army, Western Kentucky, Air Force, and Vanderbilt have all shown interest in me.
What is your GPA?
4.17.
Do you have a favorite quote or Bible verse?
My favorite quote is “Don’t let being tired stop you from being great” and my favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, sir.
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Sparkman DB Kenny Hall