Andre Hal building up for big things with Texans
Growing up in Louisiana by the west bank of the Mississippi River, Texans safety Andre Hal was raised with a strong taste for traditional Cajun cooking
As one the smaller starting safeties in the league at roughly 5-10, 195 pounds, that appetite has come in handy as Hal has gradually put on weight while maintaining his speed since converting from cornerback last season.
Hal has haunted the Texans' weight room. Plus, his mother, Lisa West, has been to town to whip up some hearty meals of crawfish etoufee, cornbread and fried chicken.
"I have put on some weight," Hal said. "I lifted more this year and gained some strength, and the weight came with the strength."
Drafted in the seventh round two years ago out of Vanderbilt, Hal built up his body armor to become sturdier for the punishment he's required to dish out and absorb at the safety position. Although his primary duties and forte are pass coverage where he intercepted a career-high four passes last season in his first year as a starter, Hal had to regularly take on blocks from offensive linemen who outweigh him by more than 100 pounds. He once caught some friendly fire from massive nose tackle Vince Wilfork last season when he got accidentally crushed by him while defending a screen.
Hal is part of a growing trend of smaller safeties with teams emphasizing mobility and coverage skills rather than employing a bulkier safety that resembles an extra linebacker. That includes Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu, who also lined up at corner and is generously listed on the roster at 5-9, 186 pounds.
"I've never been one of the bigger guys," Hal said. "I don't think size matters. You see Tyrann Mathieu, he's one of the best safeties in the league right now. He's not the biggest guy. It doesn't really matter about your size. It's about your heart and your mindset.
"I go out there and play hard like I'm not afraid of anything," he said. "You can't be afraid."
Hal has always been a natural athlete.
He was a state champion and record-setting 200-meter relay sprinter in Port Allen, which is located near Baton Rouge and has a population of 5,180. He was also a basketball player, and an all-state football who had nine interceptions in his final two seasons of high school and returned five kickoffs for touchdowns.
"Andre has got a big heart," said Hal's father, Andre Hal Sr. "He's not scared of the contact. He was always one of the smallest guys on the field, even in pee wee football. He was never afraid of anything."
That fearless philosophy paid major dividends for Hal and the Texans' third-ranked defense last season.
Installed as a starter for the first time against Jacksonville when Quintin Demps was sidelined with a hamstring injury, Hal led the Texans in interceptions and finished with a career-high 34 tackles in 12 starts, including the playoffs.
In his first start during an October road win over the Jaguars, Hall shadowed athletic tight end Julius Thomas and took advantage of quarterback Blake Bortles' tendency to force passes for a pair of interceptions. He returned one 31 yards, strutting into the end zone for a touchdown.
It was a welcome development for the defense to have an instinctive presence in the lineup after veteran safety Rahim Moore struggled and was benched.
With the Texans so crowded at the cornerback position, including Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson and Kevin Johnson, moving Hal to safety allowed them to strengthen a weak position.
"We took a corner and made him a safety, and he had to go through growing pains," defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said at the close of last season. "He's adapting nicely and understanding where he needs to fit, how he needs to cover and be able to match up on receivers and tight ends. Then he'll come up and tackle as well. That bodes well for a safety."
The Texans didn't make major personnel moves at safety this offseason. They cut Moore, who signed with the Cleveland Browns. And they retained Demps and signed former New York Jets safety Antonio Allen. They picked West Virginia safety K.J. Dillon in the fifth round.
It amounts to a vote of confidence for Hal.
"I guess so," said Hal, who held a youth football camp in his hometown for the second year in a row for 150 kids that was attended by former Texans cornerback Darryl Morris and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews, a former Vanderbilt teammate. "Last year, they gave me an opportunity and I made the most of it. I took advantage of it. This is my second year at safety and they have more trust in me and my ability to make plays.
"I just want to win. I want to get to the playoffs again and win some games and make some plays on defense and be an impact player."
Hal is determined to build on what he accomplished last season when he established himself as a reliable starter capable of making big plays.
During the Texans' first organized team activity practice last week, Hal arguably had the most impressive play when he leapt behind him and twisted his body to pick off a Brock Osweiler pass for an interception.
Hal enjoys the camaraderie with his fellow defensive backs, including a regular hangout every Thursday, and credited that with boosting chemistry on the field.
Hal hopes that familiarity will allow the defense to get off to a faster start this year. The Texans ranked third in the NFL against the pass last season after a rough beginning.
"We're a very close group, we're like brothers," Hal said. "We're really tight. I think it will be easier for us to click earlier, just build more of that trust and communication and go out and play fast and know what each other is going to do without saying anything, just be able to read each others' minds. We want to do it on the run, flying around and having fun."