Mike Hall decided against sitting out earlier this year, worked through injury instead

COLUMBUS — Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., who played fewer than 19 snaps in each of Ohio State’s final four games of the regular season because of injury, was given the option to shut down it down for a while and focus solely on recovery.

Hall didn’t take that option.

“I felt like I would have let the team down really,” Hall said this week. “I took that initiative on me to just come out here and just try to get in the treatment room or just come out here and support my guys.”

Hall said he’s been around 80-85% while playing a handful of snaps down the stretch, but he emphasized that he’s working toward full strength ahead of Ohio State’s College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal against top-ranked Georgia.

“I’m anxious, I’m ready to get back on the field,” Hall said. “Just can’t wait to unleash.”

Hall added: “I feel like those first couple of games — I felt like I was only scratching the surface.”

Hall, a redshirt freshman, brought an extra “oomph” to the Buckeyes defense after an impressive offseason — most notably because of his pass rushing ability.

Hall turned heads before the bye week, amassing 12 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus, and 4.5 sacks in five games. And that’s after suffering an upper-body injury against Arkansas State, missing the Toledo game and then getting banged up again in the Wisconsin game on Sept. 24.

Hall mounted just 35 snaps in four games as a first-year defensive lineman. He nearly matched that mark in a four-tackle, one-sack performance against Notre Dame in the season opener.

Mike Hall doing Mike Hall things 👀 pic.twitter.com/F6qTADtLGf

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 4, 2022

What’s more, Hall played at least 27 snaps each of his first four games of 2022. Against Michigan State, though, he played fewer than 10 — longtime D-Line coach Larry Johnson’s thought was to bring Hall in only for Johnson’s “Rushmen” packages on third down.

That way, Hall could get 1-on-1 pass rushing opportunities while also getting some rest prior to the off week. The plan worked to perfection. Despite his limited action, Hall got home for 2.5 sacks.

Hall’s havoc-wreaking from the interior proved to be a major plus for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit.

“Now that means any 1-on-1 matchups that we create, bluffs or different things to get him one on one (with an offensive lineman), the games that Coach J calls and things, that means that the probability for success is going to be high which then goes back to, hey, helping our corners and different disguises and things,” Knowles said, following the blowout win over Michigan State.

“So, he does change the game for us, for sure.”

Since the bye, however, Hall hasn’t recorded a sack, and he’s got just four pressures to his name. In limited snaps — an average of 19.5 per game over the last six contests — Hall hasn’t produced at the same insane clip as he did in East Lansing, and understandably so.

Most players wouldn’t, especially not those nursing injuries like Hall has been.

As the Streetsboro native’s playing time dwindled, fifth-year defensive tackle Taron Vincent saw an uptick in snaps — as did third-year Ty Hamilton. Vincent played 45 or more snaps, a threshold he hadn’t come close to reaching before the off week, four times in the final five games. Hamilton hit 30 snaps, previously a season high, three times in that span.

Led by Vincent, the pairing often succeeded in drawing double teams and freeing up space for Ohio State’s best tacklers to make stops. But neither gave the Buckeyes quite the same pass rushing kick.

“Definitely missed Mike,” Vincent said. “You always feel his presence when he comes into games. He makes plays whenever he comes in.”

Hall said it’s been an adjustment with a decreased snap share.

“Knowing going into the game that you only have about 10 to 15 snaps, you just got to give it your all: ‘4-6, A to B,’ that’s the mindset every time I step on the field, regardless,” Hall said. “But I just take that to a further extent because knowing that I’m only playing those couple of snaps, I just gotta make them count and not waste them.”

Hall said he has to remind himself during Peach Bowl practice that he needs to keep going a little bit harder every day because he hasn’t been playing 30-40 snaps recently. While he feels in shape, he knows he needs to continue building his stamina.

Throughout this whole injury-battling process, Hall said the biggest challenge has been dealing with the mental side of things — or, as he framed it this week, “not getting too much in your feelings going on the field.”

Hall was turning heads the first part of the season, making a case for a handful of postseason honors.

Injuries spoiled what could have been a special statistical season. Hall acknowledges that, except he’s focused on the bigger picture.

“It definitely plays a huge factor in your head,” Hall said. “Just a thought process, going through like, ‘Dang, I could have got an All-American and all that.’ But, I mean, this is a team sport.

“And I’m willing to do anything to help this team win a national championship because that is the goal.”