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By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 06:24 p.m. EDT, Jun 02, 2009
BEREA: Alex Hall swears they lifted weights at Saint Augustine College.
But the broader shoulders and solid, if not bulging biceps of the Browns' second-year outside linebacker reveal the results of his first offseason in a state-of-the-art training facility.
Not that Hall is the type to switch to muscle shirts to show them off.
''Heh-heh-heh. An illusion, that's all it is,'' Hall said, chuckling at the suggestion that his arms look bigger.
Hall is still listed as 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the same as last season. But he acknowledged that the offseason program, which began March 15, did him a lot of good.
''I feel a lot better,'' he said. ''I definitely got stronger, bigger, faster. They had a lot of one-on-one time with me doing certain things.''
Whether it enables him to stay on the field longer this season remains to be seen. Hall, a seventh-round draft choice from the Division II school in Raleigh, N.C., had a season-high seven tackles in a Sept. 21 game against the Baltimore Ravens and never managed more than three after that. As a 4-12 season dragged on, Hall seemed to get fewer and fewer snaps as 15-year veteran Willie McGinest played nearly every down.
Hall said he never felt overwhelmed or that teams were running at him last season. But he is more comfortable now.
''Of course, I know a lot more what's going on, understand it more,'' he said.
Hall has shown enough promise to coach Eric Mangini that he's gotten some reps with the first team in two voluntary minicamps and this week's offseason training activities.
McGinest has departed, but the Browns added 10-year veteran linebacker David Bowens from the New York Jets. Thus far, Bowens said he's primarily been used as a ''situational pass rusher'' after playing the middle last year.
Kamerion Wimbley, the 13th overall pick in 2006, presumably will hold down the right side and try to regain the 11-sack form of his rookie season. Wimbley managed just four sacks last year and five in 2007.
Hall finished third on the team with three sacks (all in the first five games), along with 26 tackles (eight in the final eight games). Getting bigger, stronger and faster might help Hall add to that sack total.
''Hopefully,'' Hall said. ''That's what I look to do.''
Mangini doesn't seem dismayed by Hall's thin frame.
''He's a tall player, but he actually has very good weight for his height,'' Mangini said. ''One of the things we've been having him focus on is playing with good technique and good leverage. When you're a taller guy, it's that much more important to sink your hips and have the right hand placement because your height doesn't give you a great leverage point.''
Hall seemed like a diamond in the rough during his 2008 debut. He and Mangini know he has much to work on.
''He's focusing on learning the defense, getting more reps, communicating,'' Mangini said. ''It's different when you're working with the ones or twos, the expectation of communication increases as well.
''There are a lot of different areas he can make strides in. The key thing was identifying what's our starting point, one or two things you want to get better with.''
Bowens said he expects the Browns' defense to be ''smart and aggressive.'' But Hall is too busy learning the new scheme to see that yet.
''Who knows?'' Hall said. ''He's putting a lot of defenses in and I'm just taking it all in and trying to execute it to the best of my ability.''
Hall's post-practice interview today drew grief from fullback Charles Ali, who yelled, ''Alex Hall is big time. Wait a minute.''
But Hall seems to be in the right frame of mind. And his switch to jersey No. 51 is not his only inspiration. Hall said he ''came to an agreement'' with Bowens, who is wearing his old 96.
''This is a brand-new beginning,'' Hall said.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns
BEREA: Alex Hall swears they lifted weights at Saint Augustine College.
But the broader shoulders and solid, if not bulging biceps of the Browns' second-year outside linebacker reveal the results of his first offseason in a state-of-the-art training facility.
Not that Hall is the type to switch to muscle shirts to show them off.
''Heh-heh-heh. An illusion, that's all it is,'' Hall said, chuckling at the suggestion that his arms look bigger.
Hall is still listed as 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the same as last season. But he acknowledged that the offseason program, which began March 15, did him a lot of good.
''I feel a lot better,'' he said. ''I definitely got stronger, bigger, faster. They had a lot of one-on-one time with me doing certain things.''
Whether it enables him to stay on the field longer this season remains to be seen. Hall, a seventh-round draft choice from the Division II school in Raleigh, N.C., had a season-high seven tackles in a Sept. 21 game against the Baltimore Ravens and never managed more than three after that. As a 4-12 season dragged on, Hall seemed to get fewer and fewer snaps as 15-year veteran Willie McGinest played nearly every down.
Hall said he never felt overwhelmed or that teams were running at him last season. But he is more comfortable now.
''Of course, I know a lot more what's going on, understand it more,'' he said.
Hall has shown enough promise to coach Eric Mangini that he's gotten some reps with the first team in two voluntary minicamps and this week's offseason training activities.
McGinest has departed, but the Browns added 10-year veteran linebacker David Bowens from the New York Jets. Thus far, Bowens said he's primarily been used as a ''situational pass rusher'' after playing the middle last year.
Kamerion Wimbley, the 13th overall pick in 2006, presumably will hold down the right side and try to regain the 11-sack form of his rookie season. Wimbley managed just four sacks last year and five in 2007.
Hall finished third on the team with three sacks (all in the first five games), along with 26 tackles (eight in the final eight games). Getting bigger, stronger and faster might help Hall add to that sack total.
''Hopefully,'' Hall said. ''That's what I look to do.''
Mangini doesn't seem dismayed by Hall's thin frame.
''He's a tall player, but he actually has very good weight for his height,'' Mangini said. ''One of the things we've been having him focus on is playing with good technique and good leverage. When you're a taller guy, it's that much more important to sink your hips and have the right hand placement because your height doesn't give you a great leverage point.''
Hall seemed like a diamond in the rough during his 2008 debut. He and Mangini know he has much to work on.
''He's focusing on learning the defense, getting more reps, communicating,'' Mangini said. ''It's different when you're working with the ones or twos, the expectation of communication increases as well.
''There are a lot of different areas he can make strides in. The key thing was identifying what's our starting point, one or two things you want to get better with.''
Bowens said he expects the Browns' defense to be ''smart and aggressive.'' But Hall is too busy learning the new scheme to see that yet.
''Who knows?'' Hall said. ''He's putting a lot of defenses in and I'm just taking it all in and trying to execute it to the best of my ability.''
Hall's post-practice interview today drew grief from fullback Charles Ali, who yelled, ''Alex Hall is big time. Wait a minute.''
But Hall seems to be in the right frame of mind. And his switch to jersey No. 51 is not his only inspiration. Hall said he ''came to an agreement'' with Bowens, who is wearing his old 96.
''This is a brand-new beginning,'' Hall said.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/. Follow the Browns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns
Comments
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Posted 06:33 AM, 06/03/2009
Hall and Wimbley will show drastic improvment this year with ACTUAL coaches helping them out. Former bad boy Bryan Cox coaches the DL but I'm sure he'll have plenty of influence on Hall and Wimbley's pass rush techniques. B.Cox will adjust their attitudes to mean, angry and nasty LBs.
Naples, FL
Posted 07:00 AM, 06/03/2009
The fact Hall was not used at the end of the season when the Browns had no chance of making the playoffs and instead, McGinest, a few games from retirement, was used, is a true indictment of the former Browns regime.
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:53 AM, 06/03/2009
Who cares - this team is worse than the triblets.
Sagamore Hills, OH
Posted 08:17 AM, 06/03/2009
The Steelers cheat by using lots of steroids and their city is filled with uneducated mullets.
AKRON, OH
Posted 09:10 AM, 06/03/2009
I hope Mangini turn Wembly loose on the pass rush. Far too many times last season he was dropping back into coverage. I fear though that as Mangini did with Gholston in NY last year he will allow Kameron to drop into coverage instead of pass rushing. Lets go Dawgs
Posted 09:27 AM, 06/03/2009
There's a difference between Wimbley and Golhston physically and through experience. Wimbley is more of a OLB mold than Gohlston, not to say he is prototypical but he built better for the position than Vernon. Vernon is a monster 4-3 DE and that's where he should play, he's too bulky to not play on the line every down. Also, Wimbley has more experience at the position.
The problem is what CleveRox touched on... the previous Coaching Staff. They did a horrible job developing Wimbley and would have done the same with Hall. They rather play a 37 yr old guy who get's beat both in coverage and in run support than let a young player gain experience. The coaching staff's future was now.
Posted 01:38 PM, 06/03/2009
I have to agree that Romeo & co. did a poor job of using some of the younger players last season; especially considering we had no chance to win after Quinn & Anderson went down. Hopefully some of the younger guys who have talent (Harrison & Hall, for example) will get a real opportunity to show what they can do! Go Browns!
Posted 06:23 AM, 06/04/2009
Harrison does finally get his opportunity to shine this year, just in time to be a FA at the end of the year.
Posted 12:14 PM, 06/04/2009
It could be fans are mistaken in their impressions as to why McGinest and Andra Davis continued to start even after the season was totally lost.
Sure, it could very much have to do with what is mentioned---a desperate coaching staff trying to win at least once more; a poor group of teachers unable to instruct enough to develop the kids; etc.---but it might also be what remains in place today: that there is a huge disparity between those NFL-ready and those so raw and green as to be crisp with freshness.
Note how stopgaps are again in place(Bowens and Barton)and how the question could persist as to whether additional outsiders must be infused behind them because youngsters like Hall, Bell, Veikune, Maiava, Benard, Brown, Holloway, et al, simply are too distant for immediate insertion.
This is, needless to say, a key unit in any 3-4 and this to which I allude is, therefore, key to its success.
The waiver-wire process may come into play later this summer. Watch for it, as well as how this situation plays out.
Posted 12:21 PM, 06/04/2009
Mark,
No one is saying teh talent level behind Davis or McGinest was amazing. However, more playing time on a bad team for the young guys was achievable.
Little playing time for Hall last season would have been better than the Zero playing he had. Of course he wasn't ready to step in, he came from Western Salem of Arkansas' A&M Christian State Academy of the Arts.
But that was still no reason for him to sit every down on a 4-12 team when McGinest was playing ahead of him. He showed some talent early on.
