FORTCOLLINS, Colo. – Adam Hall hasn’t said whether he walked under anyladders or ran afoul of a black cat before the start of the 2003season, but the way his year began – and now ended – that would be asafe assumption.
Hall’s string of senior-season misfortunes reached tragicproportions Saturday, as his San Diego State career came to an endbecause of a freak injury to his left ring finger.
“That’s just the way the game is sometimes,” Hall said. “There’snot much to say. It’s just bad luck this year, I guess.”
That bad luck started with an ankle injury against EasternWashington in SDSU’s first game of the season. It culminated in thethird quarter against Colorado State as he suffered a laceration allthe way to the bone on his left ring finger. He was slated to see aspecialist either yesterday or today to determine if there is anytendon damage. Either way, his collegiate career is over.
“He’shad a good career here – it’s over,” head coach Tom Craft said. “Thelaceration on his left hand has taken him from us for the rest of theyear. The guy’s played tough all year. He’s been injured all seasonlong.”
And this latest one has somewhat of a mystery attached. Hall,himself, is not sure how the injury occurred. He thinks he may havecaught it on a defender’s chin-strap or helmet after followingthrough with a throw, but there did not seem to be any Rams in thevicinity.
It is possible he hit his hand on his own helmet after hisfollow-through. In-house replays proved inconclusive.
But whatever the cause, the reality remains – Adam Hall has takenthe field for the Red and Black for the last time. Understandably,the reality had yet to set in for him as he stood dazed in the lockerroom after the game.
“I just wish we would have won today,” Hall said. “But it’s tooearly for me to be thinking about that. I can’t think about thatyet.”
Van Pelted
For three quarters, the SDSU defense had done the impossible:holding star CSU quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt in check.
The senior had been somewhat of a factor with his legs, rushingfor 49 yards on nine carries, but he had also coughed up the ball ona beautiful second-quarter strip by Kirk Morrison. What’s more, hewas held to just 70 yards through the air on 7-for-12 passing – apaltry sum for a man acknowledged as the best passer in the MountainWest.
However, all that success dissipated on one play, as Van Pelt hitEric Hill for a 67-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.
“You can’t just play the pass and play their offense, you have toplay him too,” Aztec safety Josh Dean said. “He is their offense;they’re going to win with him and they’re going to lose with him. Hemade a couple of clutch throws when he had to. You have to give it upfor him.”
Quotable
“I went in and did see Adam. I also had too much water while I wasout on the field trying to hydrate myself.”
– Craft on his second half sprint into the locker room (turns outit was the call of nature).
Key loss
Senior tackle Brendan Darby limped off the field in the fourthquarter with a mild knee sprain. Craft said he was unsure of theseverity of the injury or Darby’s status for what would be his finalgame on Montezuma Mesa, Saturday.
