[ Hall trying to catch on at wide receiver ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 7, 2002 by Rick Dean Capital-Journal

Hall trying to catch on at wide receiver

ERIC MILLER/Special to The Capital-Journal

Kansas City return specialist Dante Hall is getting a good look at wide receiver.

By Rick Dean

The Capital-Journal

RIVER FALLS, Wis. --- Tuesday morning's practice had been over for 15 minutes, but Dante Hall still had work to do.

Soliciting the help of backup quarterback Todd Collins, the former Texas A&M running back ran another 10, 12 pass routes. With no defensive backs around to harass him, Hall made sure to look each pass all the way into his hands, which haven't always proven reliable during the first 13 days of the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp.

"I made a little rule for myself," Hall explained following the after-school routine. "If I don't catch every ball in practice, I gotta stay out extra. If I catch everything, I go in.

"I ain't made it a day yet," he confessed. "I'm still looking for that day when I can take my tired butt in when everyone else does."

Hall may see a lot of overtime this year as he attempts to make the transition from college running back to NFL wide receiver. But understand this, as well. Right now, the Chiefs' undersized kickoff and punt return specialist is the leading contender to become Kansas City's "nickel" receiver, the slot guy in a three-wideout set.

True, some of his newfound status is the result of default rather than merit. Kansas City's wide receiver corps is banged up right now with Snoop Minnis still sidelined with a broken foot, Sylvester Morris still trying to come back from his 2001 ACL injury and former CFL standout Marc Boerigter still recovering from an emergency appendectomy.

And it's not like the 5-foot-8, 187-pound Hall has a track record as a proven wideout.

He did catch 34 passes for 462 yards and five TDs while playing for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe in 2001, when he led the league in kickoff returns and was second in punt returns. But Hall still is waiting to catch his first NFL pass after playing in 18 games over two seasons as a return specialist.

So, why is Dante Hall suddenly being promoted as the Chiefs' third- best receiver?

Part of the answer is that Hall has at least one fan in high places. Head coach Dick Vermeil just loves the guy. More specifically, Vermeil loves Hall's speed and potential to break any punt, kickoff or reception into a big gain.

Vermeil looks at Hall and sees Az-Zahir Hakim, the 5-10 speedster who became a key component of the Rams' Super Bowl offense as the No. 3 receiver.

"His performance on the practice field has been outstanding for how we plan to use him," Vermeil said of Hall. "I think he would be very efficient on third downs, and he's liable to make some runs after the catch.

"He's growing. He still drops too many balls, but hopefully as he gains more experience --- especially on the ones that go downfield -- - he'll do a better job there."

Those are comforting words from a coach who earlier this spring told Hall he'd better plan on making the Chiefs as a wide receiver and not just as a return man.

Remember, Hall's return numbers last year were barely average. His 7.3-yard average on punt returns ranked only 11th in the AFC, and his 22.5-yard kickoff return average was only slightly better at ninth.

Without a demonstrated game-breaker as his returner, Vermeil wants a two-way contributor at the position.

"It's getting harder and harder with that 46-man rotten rule when you have people who are specialists," Vermeil said of the game-day roster limit. "You always have a long snapper, your place-kicker and your punter. Then if you keep a guy just to return and he can't play somewhere else, you're hurting your roster.

"That's why I told Dante at the start of the year, 'You make this team as a wide receiver.' And so far, he's going good."

But he needs to be better, and Hall knows it.

"The thing you gotta love about Dick is that he doesn't BS you," Hall said. "He told me I had to be more than a specialist, which is what I want to do, too. I'm glad he's given me a chance to show what I can do on offense. Knowing I've got a guy like that behind me, it makes me want to make him proud.

"When they first tried me as a receiver in my rookie year, I didn't like it; it felt weird," Hall added. "For the first 20 years of my life I ran the ball. Now I'm flanked out wide trying to run precision routes. I used to doubt myself, but with (Vermeil) not giving up on me, he put confidence in me that I never had."

Now it's up to Hall's hands to hold up to the challenge.

"I'd rate my hands only a 'C' right now," he admitted. "They've got to be an 'A' to do what I need to do. But the more I work at it, I'll get there."

See HALL, page 6D

Hall: Kansas City speedster has a fan in head coach Vermeil

ERIC MILLER/Special to The Capital-Journal

Kansas City wide receiver Dante Hall just misses catching the ball during one of last week's passing drills at Chiefs training camp in River Falls, Wis. Hall, a former running back, admits he must improve his catching skills.