Sept. 8, 2009
By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
He remembers the day during the offseason that George O'Leary saw him in the weight room working out with the linebackers. The coach said, "you are with the wrong group." It is then Derrick Hallman knew the talk about his move to safety was no longer just talk.
The one-time all-state star in high school was moving back to his normal position.
After being thrown to the fire as a true freshman, Hallman was an undersized linebacker who gave UCF something it needed with more and more league teams moving to the spread offense. Hallman could stay on the field when offenses went to four and five wide receivers. Hallman has no problem covering pass catchers.
"I was so happy when coach told me to get with the DBs," Hallman said. "I feel so comfortable back there and it allows me to do what I do best."
What Hallman does very well is hit and hit hard. And his move to the secondary certainly has softened the blow of the Knights losing all four starters from last year's team.
"I think it was a natural for us," O'Leary said. "Derrick knows the safety position and I think he provides instant leadership to that group."
Leadership is something Hallman openly expresses he takes pride in. "I saw how the guys from last year conducted themselves," Hallman said. "I learned what they did over the years on and off the field and how their approach rubbed off on everyone else."
It's the approach that Hallman takes in recapturing what once was. He tasted a Conference USA title in his rookie season and has every intention of using last season as a motivation to get back to what UCF had.
"We want to be a championship team. And we know what it felt like," Hallman said. "We want to get back to the title game and I want to do whatever it takes."
That is Derrick Hallman's mission and the one he wants his fellow secondary mates to strive for. And while his position has changed, his approach has not. It's about winning. It's about commitment to give your best effort. It's about doing what's best for the team.
And that's why Derrick Hallman might be the best safety in the league.
Marc Daniels' From the Pressbox runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF-ISP Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts "The Beat of Sports" on ESPN 1080 in Orlando from 9-11 a.m.