About Inductee

If it hadnt been for Hollis Coleman, Wayne Halls life might have taken an altogether different turn. Coleman was an assistant coach for Tom Owen at Huntsville High in the late 1960s; Hall was one of his students, a rangy blond-headed kid who had played football at Whitesburg Middle School. But Hall didnt come out for football in the 10th grade at Huntsville High.My mother wanted me to play in the band, Hall explained. I figured my football days were over. But Coach Coleman sort of shamed me into coming out. Hall came out, and football has been at the forefront of his life ever since. He went on to become a two-year starter for HHS at end and linebacker. It didnt take long to see he was a player, said Owen. As a senior, Hall was an all-stater. Several colleges offered scholarships. He chose Alabama. A knee injury in a freshman game sidelined Hall for several months, and he underwent two more knee operations within the next year, one on each knee. Most players would have quit after that. Not Wayne Hall. I decided to do whatever it took to come back, he said. Hall came back all right, earning three varsity letters and starting most of those three years. At one time or another, he played all three linebacker spots. Ironically, the best game he ever played was in Alabamas 17-16 loss to Auburn in the famous 72 Punt Bama Punt game. As a senior, Hall shared playing time with Woodrow Lowe, a tough sophomore from Phenix City. I was lucky to play all all, Hall said. I knew I was no Woodrow Lowe. Hall got into coaching as a graduate assistant for Coach Paul Bryant at Alabama. Coach Bryant tried to talk me out of it, just like he did everybody who talked about becoming a coach, Hall said. He always said, Dont do it unless you cant live without it. After that, he was always very supportive. Little did Bryant realize that one day Hall would be coaching at Alabamas No. 1 rival, Auburn. Hall, who was born in Jacksonville, Fla., moved with his family to Huntsville in the early 60s from Hawaii. Hall played pee wee football for Shelly Zimmerman and later played at Whitesburg for John Childress and eventually for Owen at HHS. I was blessed with some great coaches all the way through, Hall said. The knee operations hampered his college career at Alabama, but Hall was a part of three SEC championship teams and a national championship team at Alabama and played in the Cotton, Sugar and Orange bowls. After serving as a graduate assistant coach at Alabama in 1974-75, Hall went to Virginia Tech in 1976 and two years later moved to East Carolina to coach for Pat Dye, his former position coach at Alabama. Hall coached on Dyes staff at East Carolina and Wyoming, and came with him to Auburn in 1981. Hall was Auburns defensive line coach from 1981-86. He was named defensive coordinator in 86 and assistant head coach in 90. One of the finest defensive coaches in college football, Hall has coached a number of all-star linemen, including Donnie Humphrey, Benji Roland, and the Rocker brothers, Tracy and David, and has been a part of four SEC championship teams at Auburn. Hall and his wife Christi have two sons, Robert and Thomas Wayne Jr.